Former President Benigno S. Aquino III. INQUIRER.NET PHOTO/CATHY MIRANDA
鈥淲e are supposed to be a democracy ruled听by laws and听not by men.鈥�
Former President Benigno听S. Aquino III said this Thursday as he continued听 to听 question听 President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 Proclamation No. 572 that听 voided opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV鈥檚 amnesty.
鈥淒apat ma-adhere religiously 鈥榶ung laws,鈥� Aquino听added in a phone听interview.
The former leader remained听puzzled as to听why the听government has been insisting that听 Trillanes did not apply for听amnesty despite听several documents听that听would prove听otherwise.
It was Aquino, who granted听amnesty听to the senator in 2010 for his involvement in two uprisings during the term of then President and now Speaker听Gloria Mcapagal-Arroyo.
The former听leader maintained they听have听records to show听that听Trillanes had applied for amnesty 鈥� such as a letter听 from听then Defense Secretary Voltaire听 Gazmin informing Aquino that Trillanes听was among those who applied and qualified for amnesty.
READ: Gazmin recognizes Trillanes鈥� application for amnesty
鈥淰ery specific听鈥榶ung sulat ni SND听(Secretary of National Defense) [Gazmin] that the ad hoc committee reports听that they had filed their applications, they听had fulfilled the requirements and听we hereby recommend the grant of amnesty,鈥� Aquino pointed out.
He听said the recommendation of the ad hoc committee created by the Department of National Defense (DND) was also 鈥渧ery specific.鈥�
鈥淪o paano pang ipipilit na no such thing?鈥� Aquino asked.
鈥淢eron akong dokumentong tangan,听officially transmitted听to me by DND,听 pirmado ng then听SND na referring to the听work of the ad hoc committee听and the recommendation to grant amnesty鈥︹�� he further said.
READ: Aquino confirms amnesty to Trillanes, questions Duterte order
Aquino also questioned the听order to arrest听Trilanes, which was contained听 in Duterte鈥檚 proclamation.
鈥淚ikukulong mo by virtue of what? Either may warrant of arrest or subject to conditions听 nang tinatawag na warrantless arrest,鈥澨齢e said.
A warrantless arrest, Aquino explained, could only be enforced听 under three instances 鈥� if a person is actually committing a crime, about to commit,听or has just committed听a crime.
Asked then听if he agrees听with听Trillanes听that the revocation of his amnesty was just a political听persecution by听the Duterte administration, Aquino said:听 鈥淎no pa nga bang conclusion听ang pwedeng gawin?鈥�听 /kga