Former President Benigno Aquino III confirmed the validity of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s amnesty for his coup and mutiny cases, which was recently revoked by current President Rodrigo Duterte.
The former president said that he is willing to stand as witness to confirm the validity of Trillanes’ amnesty.
Aquino explained that Trillanes’ name is on top of the list which include 91 officers and enlisted personnel who were granted amnesty for their involvement in either the 2003 Oakwood mutiny, the 2006 Marines standoff or the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.
He added that the amnesty he granted to Trillanes and the other military officers involved in the said coups was concurred in by both Chambers through Concurrent Resolution No. 4.
“If I issued the amnesty without the concurrence of Congress, this would not have been valid,” Aquino said.
Aquino is also left confused after the officials of the current administration said that they could not find Trillanes’ amnesty application and that the lawmaker never admitted guilty.
“If you were not involved (in the incident), why will you apply for amnesty? By applying, you actually admitted and confirmed your participation,” he said.
The former president also questioned the basis of the revocation of Trillanes and as to why Duterte was the one who ordered his arrest.
