BAÑOC
Recently, there are two technical discussions on our laws that I encountered for the first time: the quo warranto way in removing a chief justice and the voided amnesty.
The two new incidents happened during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. Lawyers, however, from the different camps can put up good arguments to support their respective positions.
The said issues need an in-depth discussion and knowledge of the law as they are very technical. Hence, ordinary people who are not well-versed in law cannot be blamed if they reduce the issues to the people involved in the case.
Look at the quo warranto case. Instead of dwelling on the technical discussion, the people just reduced it as a case between President Duterte versus former chief justice Lourdes Sereno. Although early on there were fervent discussions immediately following Sereno’s removal, such died down very fast.
In like manner, the issue on voiding the amnesty of Senator Antonio Trillanes will be simply reduced by some as a case between Duterte and Trillanes.
On the part of Duterte who is the imprimatur of the Proclamation 572 nullifying the amnesty of Trillanes, he can argue that the latter failed to comply with the two requirements: an application for amnesty and an admission of guilt. This is in relation to the involvement of Trillanes as a soldier then in the Oakwood Mutiny in 2003 and the Manila Peninsula incident in 2007. On the part of Trillanes, he can claim that he complied.
In fairness, lawyers from both camps have well-reasoned claims. While technical discussion is pending in court, ordinary people see something beyond the technicalities of the law. They simply appreciate the issue as a case of Duterte versus Trillanes.
In my observation, in social media it is very clear that Duterte’s supporters from the election period and until today, as per survey results, are still solid behind his move as compared to the very few who support Trillanes. Even those who are not using the platform of social media express their support for Duterte.
They believe Duterte has done a lot of good things for this country. All that Trillanes have are empty screams.
The inevitable points are the following: What are his meaningful legislations? He pretends to be an advocate against corruption. He is, however, selective on his targets.
Why is he so noisy on issues against Dueterte even the recycled ones, but is so silent on other issues such dengvaxia, PNP’s Mahindra jeep anomaly, DAP, etc – all committed by the yellow?
It boggles the mind that when everyone expected his heart to be on the SAF 44, he being a former soldier, but he faulted them for their fate.
If Trillanes and his supporters think that the revocation of amnesty has made him a hero, they are wrong. Simply put, Trillanes does not have the sympathy of the
people.
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