‘Palace trying to wriggle out of amnesty blunder’
Malacañang is in a dilemma, according to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who said yesterday the Supreme Court may provide a way out of the administration’s “blunder” in issuing Proclamation No. 572 that revoked the amnesty granted to him in 2011.
Trillanes, who remains in selfimposed confinement in his office at the Senate, said the Duterte administration is trying to extricate itself from its mistake in issuing the proclamation on grounds that his amnesty was void from the start due to his alleged failure to
comply with requirements.
“I believe they got caught in their own game. They committed a blunder here. It’s just pride that keeps them working on what they can retreat from this,” Trillanes said.
The opposition senator believes he has a strong case in seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) before the Supreme Court on the execution of the proclamation, which he said was based on “lies.”
Apparently referring to the ouster of former chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the senator said despite the “recent past” of the high court, he believes the magistrates will view President Duterte’s proclamation as “really crossing the limit.”
“This proclamation violated many rights and laws. This is beyond – it’s about institutions, it’s about the constitutional and legal processes that we need to protect,” Trillanes said, referring to the 36-page petition filed by his lawyers on Thursday before the SC.
The petition for prohibition and certiorari sought a TRO to stop the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) from arresting him under Proclamation 572.
Trillanes also asked the SC to declare as null and void the proclamation for alleged violation of the Constitution.
He said Malacañang’s “stupidity and lies will be exposed” when the SC hears his petition in oral arguments as those who received, processed and approved his amnesty application are all still alive.
Every step of the amnesty process pointed to his compliance with all requirements – from the receiving officer in the Armed Forces all the way to then president Benigno Aquino III, as well as the concurrence of the Senate and the House of Representatives at the time.
Trillanes said the “threat of arrest” will be always be there but he believes the AFP will uphold the rule of law.
Safe zone
Rumors circulated since Thursday about a possible attempt to arrest Trillanes over the weekend.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan and the office of detained Sen. Leila de Lima came out with statements about the reported attempt to arrest Trillanes, who has been staying at the Senate since Tuesday.
“We have received reports from friends in the media that there may be an attempt to illegally arrest Senator Trillanes either tonight (Thursday), or over the weekend when the courts are closed,” Pangilinan said.
“We call on friends and supporters who value democracy to come to the Senate and show their support for Senator Sonny. Our presence there will hopefully make those effecting the illegal arrest think twice,” he added.
The Senate leadership has assured Trillanes that he would not be arrested while he is in Senate premises, something that Senate President Vicente Sotto III reiterated Thursday night.
Informed about the rumors of Trillanes’ impending arrest, Sotto posted a tweet addressed to the “know it alls,” saying “JPE (former senator Juan Ponce Enrile) and other senators who had warrants of arrest were never allowed to be arrested in the Senate.”
“I know the history in the Senate since 1987. There was an attempt then, yes, but never consummated. So many controversial attempts in history,” Sotto said.
Trillanes, for his part, said he could not ascertain the validity of these rumors but aired his confidence that the AFP would not commit an illegal act by arresting him.
“There is an agreement. If they will violate the agreement, which I doubt, because the AFP and the Department of National Defense officials are professionals, they know what is right from wrong,” he said.
Trillanes said he has reached out to his contacts within the military and he was given their guarantee that they would respect the agreement they had with the Senate leadership.
“I commend the Senate leadership, especially under Senator Sotto for standing his ground,” he said.
Trillanes said all the sena- tors have crossed party lines in the desire to preserve the integrity of the Senate.
Sotto reiterated his vow to defend the dignity of the Senate in blocking any arrest of any senator even as he warned those who may be planning to make a spectacle of the situation.
He asked Trillanes’ colleagues in the minority bloc not to “abuse” his order to block any arrest within the Senate premises by bringing in too many supporters.
“I stuck my neck out to preserve the dignity of the Senate. I’m not doing this for any one person. What if something happens where some groups will take over the Senate and lock it down or there will be an arrest?” Sotto remarked.
“Either way, I will be held responsible,” he said, adding he will not allow the Senate to be used in any “unruly plot.”