Senate, House receive amended amnesty proc for mutineers

(Updated 4:32 p.m.) The Senate and the House of Representatives have received the from Malacañang the amended proclamation granting amnesty to soldiers involved in at least three attempts to overthrow the Arroyo administration. The Senate received the copy of the amended proclamation on Thursday, while the House got a copy of the same on Wednesday. "We have received it and we will send it to the committee on justice (headed by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas) by Monday," House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said. It is not yet clear when the justice committee will hold its next hearing on the issue. Meanwhile, in a letter to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa presented Proclamation No. 75 — the amended version of Proclamation No. 50 signed by President Benigno Aquino III last October 11. Among the major revisions in the proclamation is the inclusion of active and former personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who may have been involved in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny, 2006 Marine Stand-off, and the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege as beneficiaries of the amnesty grant. The Palace likewise deleted the phrase from the old proclamation which would also grant active and former personnel of the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and their supporters who were involved in "related (mutiny) incidents." It also specifically stated that the amnesty grant shall not cover "rape, acts of torture, crimes against chastity, and other crimes committed for personal ends." Ad hoc committee As for the application of the amnesty, Proclamation No. 75 specifically stated that an ad hoc committee under the Department of National Defense shall be tasked with receiving and processing the applications of those "entitled" to the grant. It said that all enlisted personnel of the AFP with the rank of up to Technical Sergeant and personnel of the PNP with the rank of up to Senior Police Officer 3 whose amnesty application is approved shall be entitled to reintegration or reinstatement. However, it said that they shall not be entitled to back pay during the time they have been discharged or suspended from service or was unable to perform their military and police duties. On the other hand, commissioned and non-commission officers of the AFP with the rank of Master Sergeant and personnel of the PNP with the rank of at least Senior Police Officer 4 whose amnesty application is approved shall not be entitled to back pay or to remain in the service, reintegration, or reinstatement. But it added that all AFP and PNP personnel who are granted amnesty who are not reintegrated or reinstated shall be entitled to retirement and separation benefits. The Palace also amended the effectivity clause to say that the proclamation shall take effect only upon concurrence of a majority of all the members of Congress, as stated in the Philippine Constitution. 'Imprecise' Earlier, Senator Teofisto Guingona III expressed his frustration over what he described as the imprecise Proclamation No. 50. He specifically cited the effectivity clause, which had earlier stated that the proclamation "shall take effect immediately" upon the President's signing of the proclamation. Guingona heads the Senate committee on peace, unification, and reconciliation, which had earlier approved Proclamation No. 50. But because of the issuance of a new proclamation, Guingona said they would have to conduct a new set of committee hearings and have the bill concurring with the proclamation approved all over again. "The President will highly appreciate it if the committee and plenary hearings on the proclamation can be scheduled by the Senate at the earliest time possible," Ochoa said in his letter. Among those who stand to benefit from the amnesty grant is detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who is facing coup d’etat charges before the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 148 in connection with the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and rebellion charges before the Makati RTC branch 150 for leading the siege of the Peninsula Manila hotel in November 2007. — RSJ, GMANews.TV