The interpretation of laws has changed under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, lawyer and former presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said on Friday.
Lacierda cited as examples how Maria Lourdes Sereno was ousted from the Supreme Court and how the amnesty granted to Senator Antonio Trillanes was revoked.
鈥淲hen I was still studying law, we were surefooted on what is the rule of law. Under this administration, honestly, the goalposts have changed,鈥� Lacierda said in an interview with ABS CBN 黑料社 Channel.
Lacierda explained that a chief justice can only be ousted through an impeachment trial, but Sereno was removed through a quo warranto proceeding.
As for the case of Trillanes, he said since the senator was already granted an amnesty back in 2011, the grant cannot be revoked as the case was already settled.
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Lacierda added that the reason cited for the revocation of the amnesty was a 鈥渞idiculous proposition.鈥�
鈥淜ung may application form, may admission of guilt yan. It鈥檚 plain and simple,鈥� Lacierda said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so funny, their argument is just so ridiculous. Pardon me for saying but it鈥檚 a ridiculous proposition to say that the amnesty is void ab initio on the ground that there was no application form,鈥� he added. /muf