DND chief allowed Jose Calida’s check on Trillanes records

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had authorized Solicitor General Jose Calida to dig into the amnesty records in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Lorenzana admitted this yesterday, saying Calida called him on Aug. 16 seeking permission to examine the amnesty records of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

“I provided him access,” Lorenzana said, adding that Calida sent his representative to do research at the Department of National Defense (DND) and the AFP.

On Aug. 30,  Calida, citing records from the AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel as certified by Col. Joan Andrade, reportedly found that Trillanes has no amnesty records in the military.

The absence of these records, or Trillanes’ non-filing of application and his non-admission of guilt, was cited in Presidential Proclamation No. 572 of President Duterte last Aug. 31 revoking the senator’s amnesty.

Lorenzana added that the President discussed with him the issue while they were in Jordan.

Duterte, he said, believes that the granting of amnesty should not be delegated to anyone other than the President.

“He is questioning the role and signature of (then DND secretary Voltaire) Gazmin on all these amnesty documents,” Lorenzana said.

Duterte said Gazmin acted as the recommending and approving authority in giving amnesty to Trillanes and the rest of the Magdalo mutineers.

Trillanes, along with his Magdalo colleagues, was facing charges for leading disgruntled soldiers in occupying the Oakwood Premier hotel in July 2003 and the forced occupation of The Peninsula Manila in 2007.

For his part, Trillanes showed documents as proof that he applied for amnesty as he also maintained that he has been separated from the military service in 2007.

Lorenzana declined to discuss the merits of Trillanes’ amnesty case, saying that he is now leaving the matter to the Supreme Court. – With Edu Punay, Ghio Ong