MAGDALO Representative Gary Alejano said President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to declare the amnesty granted to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV void is a clear attack against those who oppose the administration.
“In a way, ineexpect na rin natin ito dahil hinahanapan talaga nila ng kaparaanan just like what happened to Sereno, ginamitan ng quo warranto," he told reporters on Tuesday, September 4.
(In a way, we had expected this because they are really trying to find a way to silence the opposition. Just like what happened to Sereno, who was ousted through a quo warranto petition.)
Alejano continued: “Umaasa pa tayo na kahit papano kumapit ang gobyernong ito sa demokrasya... hindi yung iteknikal mo, hanapan mo ng mali para lang tumahimik yung mga nagbabatikos sa administrasyon.”
(We are hopeful that the government would uphold our democracy, instead of finding loopholes or technical charges to silence the administration's critics.)
He appealed to the administration not to drive the people to a corner and compel them to resort to remedies other than those that are legal.
“Sa akin lang ‘wag naman natin itulak ng husto ang pang-aapi dahil kami ho ay nag-avail ng legal na kaparaanan. ‘Wag nilang itulak ang taong bayan na magresort sa ibang kaparaanan.”
He futher warned the adminstration: “Wag nilang isagad, gipitin ang taong bayan dahil magsusurvive talaga ang taongbayan sa anumang paraaan.”
Alejano said he will exhaust all legal remedies if the same order will be issued against him. But he also said he will allow the government forces to arrest him.
“Sa akin ho lagi naman nating hinaharap ang mga problema, hindi ho tayo umaatras diyan,” he said. (We will face the problem.)
Proclamation 572, which was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on August 31 and was published in a newspaper Tuesday, declared the amnesty granted to Trillanes as void ab initio and ordered the senator's arrest as well as the filing of administrative and criminal charges against him.
Both Alejano and Trillanes were among the soldiers absolved of liability under Proclamation 75 signed by former President Benigno Aquino III in 2010.
Contradicting the claims of the government, Alejano stressed that he, Trillanes and the other soldiers who availed of amnesty in 2010 complied with all the requirements and admitted guilt to the crimes of rebellion.
“We complied with all the requirements otherwise we would not be granted amnesty if we have not complied with the requirements,” he said. (SunStar Philippines)