Admission of guilt for violating laws makes amnesty valid —Trillanes

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday maintained that he and the rest of the Magdalo soldiers had applied for amnesty and admitted violation of all laws which, he claimed, made the amnesty granted to them by former President Benigno Aquino III with Congress concurrence valid.

Trillanes made the assertion after Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo insisted that Trillanes' amnesty can be voided by Proclamation 572 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte because he did not apply for such.

But Armed Forces Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez, Jr. said that Trillanes had applied for amnesty because his oath of application, which included the admission of “violation of all laws,” was administered by Colonel Josefa Berbigal.

“Inamin ko na meron kaming na violate ng mga batas, kabilang na ang Articles of War. 'Yan ang requirement sa ibinibigay na amnesty, hindi kudeta. Hindi iyon ang hinihinging kondisyon. The President, who has the authority to grant amnesty, has the prerogative to set conditions,” Trillanes said in an interview on News To Go.

“We admitted guilt of violations of the provisions of the Constitution, Articles of War, Revised Penal Code. Marami pong batas na na-violate noong pumunta kami ng Oakwood (2003) at sa Manila Peninsula (2007). 'Yun po ang inamin namin,” Trillanes added, referring to the failed uprisings against then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

After Duterte rescinded the amnesty, the Department of Justice (DOJ) revived the rebellion and coup d'etat charges against Trillanes.

It filed motions for an arrest order and hold departure order on Trillanes with the Makati City Regional Trial court Branch 150 for rebellion, and with RTC Branch 148 for coup d'etat.

Last week, the RTC 150 ordered the arrest of Trillanes, who in turn posted bail of P200,000 for his temporary freedom. However, the RTC 148 has deferred its decision on the coup case, which is non-bailable.

But Trillanes insisted that the Palace cannot turn a blind eye on the validity of the amnesty given to him, especially with Galvez's confirming that Berbigal witnessed the application for amnesty.

“Tayo po ay natutuwa at nagpapasalamat na pinanigan ng Armed Forces sa pamumuno ni General Galvez ang katotohanan. In this episode, nagiging katawa-tawa na ang Malacañang dahil sila na lang ang nagsasabi na hindi ako nag-apply,” Trillanes said.

“Mahirap magpikit ng mata sa statements na ito,” Trillanes added. —Llanesca T. Panti/LBG, GMA News