Far Eastern University of Manila

Midterms Examination 2018

Senator Antonio Trillanes over the void of

his amnesty grant in 2010

 Ever since President Rodrigo Duterte was administered as the new elected president and

head of our constitution, there are certain issues that have arised with regards to his behavior and

plans for our country. There was actually a number of cases wherein he was questioned with his

capability of being the president. People began to doubt on the way he handles issues and conflicts

and started to think if he actually deserves to be in that position. People somehow feel threatened

and worried at the same time because there might be a possibility that this may lead to another

dictatorship. Since President Duterte took office, there were certain issues that have arise

especially with regards to one his propagandas named, “Project Tokhang.” Although the intention

of this project is to eliminate the usage of drugs and criminality case here in the Philippines, the

way it is executed is done wrongly wherein some of the drug suspects that have been killed weren’t

been able to defend themselves. Yes, the president have made a promise that he will reduce the

crime rates and make changes here in our country. But isn’t this a little too much of violence and

brutality that is happening, instead of the expected positive changes that the people seek for? It

just shows how the Duterte administration somehow overuse the power, to the point that it violates

the rights of the people who voted for him which is a bit ironic because he swore to protect these

people.

Due to this, some critics are being active by saying their own opinions and oppose with

regards to the decisions he makes and on the way he speaks and acts. Recently, the constitution

was heated up with discussions with the proclamation of President Duterte revoking Senator

Antonio Trillanes IV’s amnesty back in 2010. With this it somehow shown how the administration

also uses its power to their political oppositions to persecute those who dare to questioned his way

of leading.
 Trillanes was one of the people that led the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the 2007 Manila

Peninsula siege against the late Arroyo administration and was charge with coup d’etat charges.

During the Aquino’s Administration in 2010, he signed a proclamation for application of amnesty,

as to which Trillanes claimed that he applied for. Under the Proclamation no.75 in 2010, together

with the other 250, Trillanes’ amnesty was granted. Also, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is known

as one of the arch critic against President Duterte. With this, the president declared the

Proclamation No. 572 stating that, ”The grant of amnesty to former LTSG Antonio Trillanes IV

under Proclamation No. 75 is declared void ab initio because he did not comply with the

minimum requirements to qualify under the Amnesty Program," and ask the PNP and AFP to

investigate the past charges of Trillanes and arrest him in which they wasn’t able to do so because

they don’t have a warrant of arrest against the senator. Since issuing of warrant must come from

the Court, the president decided to comply with the law and waited until the warrant is released as

it is needed to undergo a judicial process in the court. The Court only has the right to issue a

warrant for it is because there is a need of clear investigation. The reason why the court alone has

the right to do this is because investigations are being duly processed by the people inside the court

as to which they dig and perform legal processes before issuing a warrant. In relation to this issue,

since the people inside the court is witnessing the trial of trillanes, they have the right to decide if

the defendant is guilty with the charges-- specifically with regards on his amnesty issue before

releasing a warrant of arrest against the suspect. It is such a big responsibility since they need to

see whether the evidences that are presented and the statement of the witnesses are valid with

regards to the issue.

If we’re going to look upon the investigations about the issue of trillanes, there was a

conflict with regards to his application. The said document was missing and cannot be presented
in the trial court as to which it was presumed that it wasn’t admitted at all. So how did his amnesty

were even granted, if it wasn’t been admitted in the first place? He claims that he applied for it

but he cant give the proof of the document to present in the court. The lack of this important

evidence only ignite the suspicions about his amnesty that are void in the first place. Also, the

timeline was a bit confusing too. Proclamation No. 75 is released in 2010 while the party of

Trillanes claims that he applied in 2011.

As a part of this society, I personally think that this issue doesn’t deserve the attention it is

getting. There is much more bigger problems here in our country that needs to be resolve rather

than with this issue that was mainly caused by personal conflict between the two parties, Duterte

and Trillanes. They were both attacking each other personally to the point that they involve each

others’ personal lives. Both parties were wrong in their own way. If only Trillanes wasn’t that

aggressive in attacking the President with his below the belt critics, this case wouldn’t be open.

Since we all know that this administration was also a bit aggressive towards their oppositions,

Duterte asked to investigate Trillanes past cases as to which it was discovered that there is a

conflict with his amnesty. Also, the proclamation itself already tells to us that the President didn’t

bring this one up for assurance of the files of the other amnesty grantees because the proclamation

was only subjected to the amnesty that were given to Trillanes only. There is no politics that

involve in this case. If there would be any sign of political involvement in this case, it would be

the fact that the amnesty were served to him in a silver platter because he was a known as a

supporter of the past administration in which there could be a possibility that it was granted because

of that reason.

To conclude this, I want to share my own opinion with regards to this issue. First of all, I

am not on anyone’s side in this case. My stand here is neutral with the both parties because from
what I can see they were both wrong in a way. Analyzing the situation, Trillanes has his own share

of faults with this. Although, I somehow support him with some of his critics against this

administration but he shouldn’t have been that aggressive on throwing statements, making it a bit

overboard. Also, based on the investigations it was quite obvious that there was really a problem

with his application of his amnesty in 2010 since he can’t present a copy of it in the court. If this

is the case, it was only rightful of him to repent and pay for the charges against him to make it all

fair and just for the people that are involved in this case.

Also, in this case it shows how the Duterte administration shows that he has the right and

power to easily bring down those people who are against his plans. In this case, it is clearly shown

that it was personally directed to Trillanes since he was one of his known critics. This wasn’t the

first time that the president did this against the opposition. He also did the same thing to Senator

De Lima just recently, wherein he also asked to investigate the opposition’s profile and if there are

past charges that can be used against her. It is a tactic to scare off the opposition to prove that he

has the greater the power above all of us. Aside from that, there is much bigger problem that our

country has currently facing but our government is much more focus and concerned with regards

to this issue rather than the real issue that should be resolve. It can be also a tactic of the

administration to divert the attention of the people to hide the real problem which is unfair in our

part. With this, it should be an eye opener for us that we should be aware of things that is currently

happening in our country. We should see the side of every issue to further understand it instead of

blabbering nonsense against the both parties. Aside from it, we should know our rights and part

within this society and lets not be afraid to voice out our opinions. The administration should

influence and lead us positively and not the other way around wherein it controls us on the way

they wants us to be.