Aquino grants amnesty to rebel senator, troops

[sharkey360]

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What do you think of this?

President Benigno Aquino III announced Tuesday that he signed a proclamation granting amnesty to rebel soldiers and officers linked to military uprisings in 2003 and 2006.

The President said he submitted the proclamation, which he signed on Monday, to Congress for its concurrence.

"The proclamation needs the concurrence [of] both chambers of Congress," Mr. Aquino told reporters after attending a function of the Department of Trade and Industry in Mandaluyong City.

He confirmed that detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was covered by the amnesty proclamation.

The grant of amnesty, under Proclamation 50, covers all active and former personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as well as their supporters who took part in the July 27, 2003 Oakwood mutiny, the February 2006 Marine standoff and the Nov. 29, 2007 Manila Peninusla siege and related incidents.

“Provided that amnesty shall not cover crimes against chastity and other crimes committed for personal ends,” it said.

Under the proclamation, the concerned AFP personnel and their supporters may apply for amnesty with the Department of National Defense within a period of 90 days after its publication in two newspapers of general circulation.
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“The DND is hereby tasked with the functions and duties of receiving and processing applicants for amnesty under this proclamation and determining whether the applicants are covered by amnesty under this proclamation,” it said.

“The final decisions or determination of the DND shall be appealable to the Office of the President,” it further said.

The grant of amnesty will automatically “extinguish any criminal liability for acts committed in relation to, in connection with or incident to the July 27, 2003 Oakwood Mutiny, the February 2006 Marine Standoff and the Nov. 29, 2007 Manila Pen Incident without prejudice to the grantee's civil liability for injuries or damages caused to private persons.”

It should effect the restoration and political rights or entitlement that may have been suspended, lost or adversely affected by virtue of any executive action and/or administrative or criminal action or proceedings lodged against the grantee in connection with the said incidents.

All enlisted personnel of the AFP whose applications for amnesty would be approved should also be entitled to reintegration or reinstatement, subject to existing laws and regulations.

“Officers of the AFP on the other hand should not be entitled to reintegration or reinstatement into the service,” it pointed out.

The amnesty, the proclamation said, should likewise reinstate the right of the AFP personnel to retirement and separation benefits “if so qualified under existing laws and regulations at that time of the commission of the acts for which the amnesty is extended.

“In order to promote an atmosphere conducive to the attainment of a just comprehensive and enduring peace and in line with the government's peace and reconciliation initiatives, there is a need to declare amnesty in favor of the said active and former personnel of the AFP and their supporters,” said the proclamation.

Trillanes who, as a Navy officer then, led a band of soldiers that took over the posh Oakwood Apartments in Makati City on July 27, 2003 to demand the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and ranking military officials over corruption allegations. The shortlived mutiny led to the arrest of Trillanes who ran and won a seat in the Senate in 2007.

Three years after in 2006, the Marines, led by Colonel Ariel Querubin, staged a standoff at Fort Bonifacio also to demand the resignation of Arroyo.

Querubin, who was also jailed, has since been freed. He ran but lost in the May national elections when he ran for senator under then presidential candidate Manny Villar’s Nacionalista Party.

Aquino grants amnesty to rebel senator, troops - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

[umpa-lumpa]

sa ato pa ibutang nalang to sa limot ang mga nahitabo ato? yahaya ah...

[vipvip68]

Daghan man mu side with what Trillanes did... pero not the way he did it. That Magdalo group exposed a lot of corruption sa Military and ilang mga bati nga binuhatan sa Mindanao.

[FranZeno]

Who says this is a good thing to give amnesty to military on coup de etat?

It just shows that what they did was a right thing to do and they can do it again because the next administration will just give them amnesty. WT-!

Maybe PNoy is thinking "Dahil kinontra nyo ang administrasyong Arroyo, papapatawarin ko kayo!"

What's this? The enemy of my enemy is my friend?

PNoy, I hope you get this, "The act itself is against the law and you're forgiving those who went against the law"

[Romeojin]

^^
OT: how about the enemy of my father is my friend lol danding cojuangco

[johnny22aa]

Mr Binay! the show will be yours soon! Hapit na jud!

[sick6sick]

dili angay kalimtan lang to oi... ni baws lang guro na c pres noynoy ni gloria kay gigaan ni gloria og pardon ang katong suspect sa pagpatay sa iyang amahan...

[Romeojin]

in fairness naa man pud basis ang pagpardon ni GMA, the guy is really old and cge gyud sya ingon mastermind gyud si danding but the aquinos doesnt believe it. pila na ka years siya suspect wa gihapon na solve ang assassination ni ninoy

[rom69erz]

KUNG mahitabo man ugaling ang naa sa imong huna-huna brad, usa nasad ni ka history sa pilipinas:

* EDSA 1 - ang inahan ni pnoy ang nahimong presidente
* EDSA nth - ang anak sa presidente panahon sa EDSA 1 gipalagpot sa EDSA nth

binay woul be the 15th pres of the PR...

Mr Binay! the show will be yours soon! Hapit na jud!

[simoko]

stoopid gyud kaayo nga move ni PNoy...sa kadako sa damage nahimo both physical & reputation-wise sa 'Pinas...it will just end this way...Amnesty