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| Senators Franklin Drilon and Risa Hontiveros show their support for embattled Senator Antonio Trillanes IV after the president revoked the amnesty granted to Trillanes / photo grabbed from Sunstar |
Opposition lawmakers condemn the revocation of the proclamation
granting amnesty to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a staunched critic of
President Rodrigo Duterte.
Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay said the proclamation that granted
amnesty to Trillanes does not provide for any revocation clause.
“Proclamation No. 75 dated 24 November 2010 issued by President
Benigno Aquino III which was concurred in by the Congress under Concurrent
Resolution No. 4 dated 13 and 14 December 2010 does not provide for any
revocation clause.” He said
“Consequently, the reported revocation by President Rodrigo
Duterte of the amnesty granted to Sen. Antonio Trillanes has no legal and
factual basis,” said Lagman.
While Senator Francis Pangilinan called the move an
"illegal and abusive exercise of presidential power"
While Senator Risa Hontiveros took Facebook to slam the move of
the administration, calling it “unconstitutional” as it lacks concurrence from
the legislature.
"While the Executive has the power to grant amnesty, it must have the concurrence of a majority of all the members of Congress. The same goes with revocation.” Hontiveros said
Hontiveros also calls on the “democratic and progressive forces
to close ranks in denouncing the intensifying state persecution against the
opposition movement”
Below is the complete Facebook post of Senator Risa Hontiveros:
YOU CAN NEVER JAIL THE RESISTANCE*
My statement on the revocation of Senator Trillanes' amnesty:
President Rodrigo Duterte's revocation of the amnesty granted to
Senator Antonio Trillanes is unconstitutional, lacking concurrence from the
legislature. While the Executive has the power to grant amnesty, it must have
the concurrence of a majority of all the members of Congress. The same goes
with revocation.
This signals the growing
crackdown on the political opposition and the President's further slide into
full authoritarian rule. Together with the unjust incarceration of Senator
Leila De Lima and the sham electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo
hanging like a Damocles sword over her head, I fear that all these form part of
President Duterte's grand plan to wipe out the opposition and consolidate
complete political power unto himself.
It is also a step back for our
attempts at national unity, healing and reconciliation after a nine-year
presidency marred by massive electoral cheating, large-scale corruption and
extrajudicial killings of progressive dissidents.
I call on all democratic and
progressive forces to close ranks in denouncing the intensifying state
persecution against the opposition movement. We will not cower in fear. We will
continue to resist. President Duterte can put us all in jail, but he can never
jail the resistance.
Source: Sunstar Risa Hontiveros
Source: Sunstar Risa Hontiveros
