Lorenzana confirms Calida role in gov’t check on amnesty for Trillanes

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday confirmed that Solicitor General Jose Calida had called him and asked for the amnesty documents of Senator Antonio Trillanes.

"He asked me personally by phone. I remember that was August 16, before pa (revocation). Because ang ginawa ni Solgen Calida meron siyang taong pinapunta dito to research. Kasama na 'yung kay Sen. Trillanes kasi kasama sila sa listahan. Danny Lim iba yata 'yun," Lorenzana told reporters.

The Defense chief said he had no idea as regards Calida's purpose, adding that he no longer asked why the Solicitor General was interested in Trillanes' records.

"I don’t know what is the purpose of Sol-Gen Calida. Hindi ko naman tinanong," Lorenzana said.

President Rodrigo Duterte said over the weekend that it was Calida who initiated the research on the circumstances of granting the amnesty to Trillanes.

The senator was among the junior officers involved in the 2003 and 2007 destabilization the Arroyo government.

The Chief Executive even said that he could not refuse Calida's request.

Duterte inked Proclamation No. 572, which declared the amnesty extended to the opposition senator void because he failed to comply with the "minimum requirements to qualify."

Trillanes maintained that the move of Duterte was an act of political persecution, insisting that he had complied with the minimum requirements to qualify under the amnesty proclamation contrary to the allegations of the Chief Executive. 

The senator had also initiated a Senate inquiry into the deals that Calida's family had secured from several government agencies. —NB, GMA News