Good Morning Judge: Making Trillanes a Hero

THE latest imbroglio between Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and President Rodrigo Duterte who ordered the former’s arrest under the pretext that “the former navy officer who staged a mutiny 15 years ago had not applied for amnesty” is making the latter a hero in the eyes of many Filipinos. In refuting the President’s order, Trillanes described the revocation of his amnesty “a big foolishness” and Mr. Duterte’s August 28 order “stupid.” Trillanes was quoted to have said “this shows what a coward Mr. Duterte is, doesn’t it? He signed it then he went to Israel to pretend he was busy and had no hand in this. This is what you call coward’s shot.” Parenthetically, it appears from the time line published by the PDI issue of September 5, 2018 that “on Jan. 5, 2011 Antonio Trillanes IV was among “the first group of mutinous soldiers who applied for amnesty offered by then President Benigno Aquino III to soldiers, policemen and civilians who participated in three attempts to bring down the Arroyo administration in 2003, 2006 and 2007. Three weeks later, defense spokesperson Eduardo Batac said the first group of applicants xxx including Trillanes were all granted amnesty, as there was no opposition to their applications. On Jan. 27, 2011, Trillanes and 94 other officers and men took their oath of allegiance to the Constitution before then Defense Secretary Voltaire Gasmin, which sealed the grant of amnesty. In December, the two houses of Congress concurred with the amnesty proclamation. In the light of the foregoing facts, it would indeed appear that the amnesty applications of Senator Trillanes and the other mutineers have become final having been concurred in by the two houses of Congress. Having become final, the amnesty granted by then President Benigno Aquino III becomes irrevocable, and any order of revocation would be a transgression of the powers of Congress. We are happy to note that the impeachment complaint filed by the “Magnificent 7” headed by Albay Congressman Edsel Lagman against Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro and seven other associate justices of the Supreme Court was given due course by the Justice Committee of the House of Representatives which reportedly ruled by a vote of 21-0 stating that the complaint is sufficient in form. The next that the “Magnificent 7” will have to hurdle is a ruling that the complaint is “sufficient in substance” before the complaint could be forwarded to the Senate for hearing. TRIVIA: Congratulations to the Federacion Internacional de Abogadas (FIDA), Camarines Sur Chapter on the occasion of the Induction of Officer and new members last September 1 at Villa Caceres Hotel. Atty. Noreen San Luis Lutey is the club’s new president. Belated congratulations also to my AdeNU high school ‘54 batch mate Dr. Belindo Tordilla and his spouse Teresa who celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary last August 5. The renewal of vows was held at the Archbishops Palace chapel and reception followed at the Avenue Plaza Hotel. My spouse Minda and I were unable to attend as we were then in Los Angeles for our regular visit to our children and grandchildren. QUOTATION OF THE WEEK: “POLITICIANS ARE THE SAME ALL OVER. THEY PROMISE TO BUILD A BRIDGE EVEN WHERE THERE IS NO RIVER.” NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE: “MY SOUL YEARNS AND PINES FOR THE COURTS OF THE LORD. MY HEART AND FLESH CRY OUT FOR THE LIVING GOD.” PSALM 84:9