MANILA, Philippines (September 11) – It is not the former president Noynoy Aquino who gave the amnesty to Senator Antonio Trillianes IV, but the former defense secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin. The report says this is the reason why President Rodrigo Duterte voided Trillianes’ amnesty.
President Duterte also said - “He recommended that a general amnesty be given. And then, after his recommendation, he approved it. Sya mismo ang nag grant, sya ang nag recommend..eh bakit ka pa magrerecommend kung ikaw lang pala ang pipirma, ‘di diretso ka na. So, what’s the crime of Volt? Sabihin ko sayo kung ano… Usurpation of authority.”)
English Translation: (He is totally the one who grants...He’s the one who recommends – amnesty ...so why did he recommend if he’s the one who will sign it. So what’s the crime of Volt?-Voltaire. I will tell you…. Usurpation of authority.”)
Even though Aquino issued Proclamation 75 on November 24, 2010, wherein stated the concession of amnesty to Trillianes, the presidential spokesman Harry Roque stated that it is just the beginning of the process of giving amnesty.
Roque also announces that the final document that gives amnesty to Trillianes, is the one written by Voltaire Gazmin “…thereby granted amnesty to aforesaid officers...” on January 2011, months before the issuance of Proclamation 75. Voltaire Gazmin is the one who signed the letter declaring the approval of giving the amnesty to the soldiers.
Roque said “…this is wrong because based on the constitution, only the President has the power to give an amnesty. And the President cannot delegate this authority to another person. It should have been President Aquino himself who should have granted the amnesty.”
Only Trillianes’ amnesty was revoked and not his fellow soldiers, for the only amnesty that was voided is just Trillianes’ which is added in the report.
