Senate adopts amnesty proclamation

The Senate on Tuesday adopted the resolution concurring with the amended presidential proclamation granting amnesty to soldiers and policemen involved in at least three attempts to overthrow the Arroyo administration. Resolution No. 4, concurring with Proclamation No. 75, was approved by the Senate with a 14-1-1 vote. Sen. Gregorio Honasan abstained from voting while only opposition Senator Joker Arroyo voted against the amended proclamation. Arroyo said he objects to how the amnesty proclamation was "handled" by the Aquino administration. Arroyo said it was insulting how the Palace provided a list that would imply that a senator and some of the country's soldiers conspired with communist rebels against the government. For the amnesty grant to take effect, the concurrence of Congress is needed. However, both the Senate and the House of Representatives expressed the opinion that the proclamation needed some amendments. Malacañang then amended the amnesty grant and issued Proclamation No. 75. Earlier in the day, the Senate committee on peace, unification, and reconciliation approved the concurrent resolution but only after grilling Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa over the supposed erroneous list of alleged mutineers who stand to benefit from the amnesty grant. Ochoa clarified that they just gathered the list of people against whom cases were filed in connection with the mutiny incidents and those who might likewise be involved in the incidents as reported to the Departmenft of Justice (DOJ). Honasan and some members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) were listed as participants in the 2006 Marines standoff. They were also included in the more than 300 supposed beneficiaries of the amnesty grant. Among those who stand to benefit from the amnesty grant is Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who is facing coup d’etat charges before the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 148 and rebellion charges before the Makati RTC branch 150. Proclamation 75 Aquino earlier issued on October 11 Proclamation 50 granting amnesty to all active and former personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and their supporters, who committed acts or omissions punishable under the Revised Penal Code, the Articles of War or other special laws related to the following: