Press Release
September 6, 2018

Duterte order vs Trillanes another case of political persecution - De Lima

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has called Mr. Duterte's decision to revoke the amnesty granted to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV as a clear case of political persecution targeted at silencing the retired Navy officer and other members of the opposition.

De Lima, the first prominent political prisoner under the current administration, said Mr. Duterte is already in panic mode because his incompetence and lack of governance have become so glaringly obvious among the Filipino people.

"Nagpapanic na si Duterte. Nasusukol na sya sa kanyang mga kawalanghiyaan, kabuktutan, kasinungalingan at asal-diktador," she said in her recent Dispatch from Crame No. 373.

"Nakikita na rin ng marami ang kapalpakan at kawalang liderato ni Duterte sa maraming isyu gaya ng papataas pang presyo ng mga bilihin at krisis sa bigas at isda. Lumalaki na ang oposisyong umaalma sa kanya," she added.

Last Aug. 31, Mr. Duterte signed Proclamation 572 revoking the amnesty given to Trillanes for allegedly failing to file his application for amnesty and admit his guilt over the Oakwood mutiny and the Manila Peninsula siege in 2003 and 2007, respectively.

On that same day, police officers hurriedly went to the Senate to arrest Trillanes despite the absence of a court order for his arrest for alleged crimes he committed 15 years ago.

The former justice secretary said the accusations leveled against Trillanes as stipulated on Proclamation No. 572 that Duterte signed are obviously baseless.

"There are records proving these, I'm sure. At nagsusumigaw ang maraming media sources noong Enero 2011 na nagsumite si Sen. Sonny ng amnesty application at may pag-amin sya sa mga diumano'y pagkakamali nyang nagawa," she said.

De Lima likewise noted that the Proclamation No. 75, s. 2010 issued by then Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III, which granted amnesty to Trillanes and his group, is valid at it was concurred in by both Houses of Congress via Concurrent Resolution No. 4 in 2010, which followed the constitutional requirement under Section 19 of Art. VII of the 1987 Constitution.

"Such joint act of Congress and the Executive cannot just simply be undone or abrogated by Duterte alone," she explained.

"In the particular case of Sen. Sonny, there have been vested rights (accruing) already from the time his amnesty was granted. Hindi na ito mababalewala pa na hindi nalalabag ang mga probisyon ng ating mga batas, na nahahalintulad sa doktrina ng non-impairment of contracts sa Sec. 10 ng ating Bill of Rights," she added.

Considered as a leading prisoner of conscience, De Lima is currently detained at Camp Crame, Quezon City for trumped-up drug charges fabricated by the Duterte administration, borne out of Duterte's personal vendetta against her.

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