MANILA, Philippines (3rd UPDATE) - President Benigno Aquino III has signed a proclamation granting amnesty to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and other soldiers involved in the Oakwood Mutiny in July 2003, the Marine standoff last February 2006 and the Manila Peninsula siege in November 2007.
Aquino said what he signed was a proclamation and is subject to concurrence by Congress.
The President made the announcement in an ambush interview after visiting the launch of the Electronic Business Name Registration System (eBNRS) at the DTI-NCR Area 3 office at Highway 54 along EDSA.
Aquino said the Department of Defense will process the application for the amnesty once it is concurred in by Congress.
The proclamation is expected to be sent to Congress today, Aquino said.
Trillanes is in military detention for his involvement in 2 of the events, including the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny and the Manila Peninsula Siege.
Other top military officials involved in the mutinous plots are former Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Marines Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda.
Lim, who ran for senator last May under President Aquino's political party, is involved in both the 2006 standoff and the Manila Peninsula Siege while Miranda is in detention for his alleged role in the Marine standoff.
In September, a group composed of prominent people came out with a full-page advertisement urging President Aquino to grant amnesty to the so-called Magdalo soldiers.
The group asked President Aquino to "grant amnesty to the active and former officers and enlisted personnel" of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) "who stood against the previous administration."
Among the signatories were former president Joseph Estrada, former Vice-President Teofisto Guingona Jr., former Senate Presidents Jovito Salonga and Ernesto Maceda, former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, former House Speaker Jose de Venecia and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.
"These soldiers have already suffered the consequences of their actions. They have paid their dues. We believe that it is the time for them to rebuild their lives, and in the process, contribute to rebuilding this nation," the ad stated.
Two months before the open letter came out, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima submitted to President Aquino its evaluation on the case of Trillanes.
This was after President Aquino ordered De Lima to review the coup d'etat charge against Trillanes since the elements of a coup were not present during the short-lived Oakwood mutiny.
"[Trillanes] was imprisoned because of Oakwood. My opinion is, and that is just my individual opinion, the fiscal should not have let that case prosper. There are several other cases but the coup d'etat case has specific requirements, which were not present. I think there was injustice there," the President said.
The statement sparked a brief debate at the Senate. Several senators criticized Aquino for allegedly meddling in a judicial matter.
Sen. Gregorio Honasan has proposed to file a bill in the Senate that will grant amnesty to junior officers who participated in the failed 2003 Oakwood Mutiny. With reports from Ruby Tayag, radio dzMM and Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
It seems that this thing had been planned prior to the elections. Even hard core Aquino supporters are left scratching their heads by this development. Is the bullet embedded on the President body not enough for him to realize that coup d’etat is a horrific crime against the state? There are so many prisoners languishing on jail committing petty crimes, or even worse some of them were actually framed.
Do Trillanes and his cohorts really deserve to be freed? Should there selective justice among those who want to overthrow our government? What about the Morong 43? What's good for the goose is good for the gander, isn't it? They're in the same category.
The President is obviously misguided. He always has his facts wrong. I know the President always has the best intentions in his heart!
Coup plotters should never be given amnesty. Just imagine if they were successful. Would these soldiers have given us our basic freedoms? How can Aquino reward them?
Why does the Philippine Military Academy and the National Police Academy create monsters? When can we put a stop to sending young men to school and making monsters out of them? Aren't these soldiers and policeman aware that they went to school with the people's money? These two academies terribly failed the nation!
What kind of message the President is sending to those people who comitted petty crimes? Coup d'etat is a horrific crime against the state, and Trillanes and et al go free? This act is actually meant to discredit the Supreme Court and insult Gloria.
Ang pagbigay amnesty ni ABNOY kay Trellanes para sa akin ay isang pangkaniwang laro ng politika, politika lang yan. Ngunit ang isang ale na nag shoplift ng isang supot ng noodle sa grocery para maitawid gutom ang kanyang anak kaya bang mabigyan ng amnesty ni ABNOY, sige nga, tiyak ako na di yan papansinin ni ABNOY o kung sino mang politiko? Yun ang laro ng mga politiko, kaya di na bago sa akin yan.
These power-lusty military opportunists have committed a crime against the state, not against GMA or P-noy. If we follow the rule of law, they should be tried in court. Granting them amnesty at this stage is ill advised, careless and highly irresponsible. And to think that these elitists in the military are unrepentant and openly showing their arrogance by insisting that they just did their patriotic duty to serve the country, it wont be long when we wake up one day being ruled by the military. Granting them amnesty wont stop them from grabbing power once they have re consolidated their forces.
Of course not! :) nakakatawa naman mga sagot ni momomama at alikabok357. Di naman mahirap intindihin ang constitution pag marunong lang kayong magbasa :) magpaturo na lang kayo sa isa pang anti "ABnoy/Penoy" dito kasi kahit bar-flunker yun eh alam niya na di na kailangan ng prior conviction para mabigyan ng amensty. ika nga ni Justice Feria:
Pardon is granted to one after conviction; while amnesty is granted to classes of persons or communities who may be guilty of political offenses, generally before or after the institution of the criminal prosecution and sometimes after conviction. (Barrioquinto vs. Fernandez, G.R. No. L-1278, January 21, 1949).
Pag di niyo pa ma-gets yan, paturo na lang kayo magbasa ulit sa mga nanay niyo ;)
When you spit on the ground or sing the national anthem the wrong way you will get penalized. Joining a coup detat, the most horrific crime against the state, however is considered okay?
let us trust Pnoy. I'm sure he knows what he is doing.. besides, Trillanes is really a good senator.. Our country needs him. It is just such that he manifests negative nationalism sometimes..
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injustice
It seems that this thing had been planned prior to the elections. Even hard core Aquino supporters are left scratching their heads by this development. Is the bullet embedded on the President body not enough for him to realize that coup d’etat is a horrific crime against the state? There are so many prisoners languishing on jail committing petty crimes, or even worse some of them were actually framed.
Trillanes
Do Trillanes and his cohorts really deserve to be freed? Should there selective justice among those who want to overthrow our government? What about the Morong 43? What's good for the goose is good for the gander, isn't it? They're in the same category.
The President is obviously misguided. He always has his facts wrong. I know the President always has the best intentions in his heart!
Amnesty for Trillanes
Coup plotters should never be given amnesty. Just imagine if they were successful. Would these soldiers have given us our basic freedoms? How can Aquino reward them?
Why does the Philippine Military Academy and the National Police Academy create monsters? When can we put a stop to sending young men to school and making monsters out of them? Aren't these soldiers and policeman aware that they went to school with the people's money? These two academies terribly failed the nation!
What the?
What is happening to our country?
Can we trust anyone?
gross insult
What kind of message the President is sending to those people who comitted petty crimes? Coup d'etat is a horrific crime against the state, and Trillanes and et al go free? This act is actually meant to discredit the Supreme Court and insult Gloria.
Ang pagbigay amnesty ni ABNOY
Ang pagbigay amnesty ni ABNOY kay Trellanes para sa akin ay isang pangkaniwang laro ng politika, politika lang yan. Ngunit ang isang ale na nag shoplift ng isang supot ng noodle sa grocery para maitawid gutom ang kanyang anak kaya bang mabigyan ng amnesty ni ABNOY, sige nga, tiyak ako na di yan papansinin ni ABNOY o kung sino mang politiko? Yun ang laro ng mga politiko, kaya di na bago sa akin yan.
Lusting for POWER
These power-lusty military opportunists have committed a crime against the state, not against GMA or P-noy. If we follow the rule of law, they should be tried in court. Granting them amnesty at this stage is ill advised, careless and highly irresponsible. And to think that these elitists in the military are unrepentant and openly showing their arrogance by insisting that they just did their patriotic duty to serve the country, it wont be long when we wake up one day being ruled by the military. Granting them amnesty wont stop them from grabbing power once they have re consolidated their forces.
Does amnesty require prior conviction?
Of course not! :) nakakatawa naman mga sagot ni momomama at alikabok357. Di naman mahirap intindihin ang constitution pag marunong lang kayong magbasa :) magpaturo na lang kayo sa isa pang anti "ABnoy/Penoy" dito kasi kahit bar-flunker yun eh alam niya na di na kailangan ng prior conviction para mabigyan ng amensty. ika nga ni Justice Feria:
Pardon is granted to one after conviction; while amnesty is granted to classes of persons or communities who may be guilty of political offenses, generally before or after the institution of the criminal prosecution and sometimes after conviction. (Barrioquinto vs. Fernandez, G.R. No. L-1278, January 21, 1949).
Pag di niyo pa ma-gets yan, paturo na lang kayo magbasa ulit sa mga nanay niyo ;)
what kind of logic is that?
When you spit on the ground or sing the national anthem the wrong way you will get penalized. Joining a coup detat, the most horrific crime against the state, however is considered okay?
let us trust Pnoy. I'm sure
let us trust Pnoy. I'm sure he knows what he is doing.. besides, Trillanes is really a good senator.. Our country needs him. It is just such that he manifests negative nationalism sometimes..