Salvador Panelo Reveals Plans to Review Sen. Trillanes' Amnesty!

Even before President Duterte's term began, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has been a vocal critic of then-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. In fact, Duterte's victory has not discouraged Trillanes one bit as he seems even more eager nowadays to reveal Duterte's alleged links to the extrajudicial killings.

Recently, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo revealed his plans to review the amnesty granted to Trillanes by the former administration in 2010.

Trillanes and his co-mutineers were charged with rebellion due to the Oakwood Mutiny in 2003 and the Manila Peninsula Siege in 2007.

"I don’t know of the facts of the case yet but there are some legal quarters expressing the same uncertainty or doubt on that. I’ll go over the case. Then, I’ll give you my proper response," Panelo told GMA News.

Panelo emphasized that if Trillanes' amnesty is deemed faulty then it could be revoked, meaning he could once again be imprisoned.

Salvador Panelo Reveals Plans to Review Sen. Trillanes' Amnesty!

"Anything that is not the law can be a precedent. It is always in the context of the law. So kung nagbigay siya ng amnesty na mali, eh hindi valid iyon [If the amnesty given was faulty, it’s invalid.]. But I don’t know the facts of the case," he added.

Now, the media are asking if Panelo's move was motivated by the Duterte administration's frustration with Trillanes.

However, Panelo denied the accusations that the move aims to prosecute enemies of the administration. According to the Malacañang official, it is part of President Duterte's directive to "protect and serve the people" by punishing those who break the law.

As for Trillanes, he dismissed the threats saying, "Panelo seems to be getting legal advice from the guy who sold him his ripped jeans."

Trillanes is currently facing an ethics complaint after he called the President a murderer. In addition to that, he is also facing a possible case filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (SolGen) for "coddling self-confessed killer and leader of [the Davao] Death Squad PO3 Arturo Lascanas".

What do you think of Panelo's threats? Share your opinion in the comments section!