Senate suspends amnesty hearing over 'faulty' list of beneficiaries

The Senate on Monday suspended its hearing on the amended proclamation granting amnesty to suspected mutineers because the erroneous list of beneficiaries included Senator Gregorio Honasan and some alleged communist rebels. Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Senate committee on peace, unification, and reconciliation, said there were a lot of "inconsistencies" in the list of amnesty beneficiaries provided by Malacañang. Guingona said Honasan and some members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF) were listed as participants in the 2006 Marine standoff. Guingona said Honasan and and the alleged CPP-NDF members were included in the more than 300 supposed beneficiaries of the amnesty grant. "We don't know what basis they have for including those names. There's no rhyme or reason why Sen. Honasan is there together with the CPP-NPA," he said after the hearing. Guingona likewise said that 40 enlisted personnel of the Scout Rangers who were supposed to be included in the list were not on it. "I don't know why but they're not in the list," he said. Because of this, he expressed his "extreme disappointment" about the executive branch, saying he will not resume the hearing until he is furnished with a "comprehensive" list with "rhyme and reason." "Obviously they cannot explain it. (This) shows that there was no comprehensive review of the list that they gave. I would like to admonish the executive branch to get their act together," he said. Guingona said Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa has committed to supply a more comprehensive list of amnesty beneficiaries later in the day at the soonest. Palace denies list was "faulty" In an interview with Palace reporters, however, senior deputy executive secretary Jose Amor Amorado said the list was not erroneous because it contained the names of "possible applicants," meaning those in the list can choose not to apply for amnesty. "As far as the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) is concerned, I don't think we committed any mistake regarding the submission of the list," Amorado said on Monday. Amorado said the lists submitted by the OES to the Senate came from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Department of National Defense, and the Department of Justice. The lists took into account those who were charged for their involvement in the three incidents involved in the amnesty proclamation, Amorado said. Honasan, Pastor "Boy" Saycon, and some other personalities "identified" with the CPP-NPA were included in the list that came from the DOJ because they were charged before the DOJ (case number 2006-1003) for their involvement in the Marine stand-off, Amorado said. The case is pending preliminary investigation. "We submitted this list to the Senate because the Senate was asking for the list of possible applicants to the amnesty so if you have a pending case regarding any of these three incidents then we take it that you are a possible applicant," he said. "Possible applicant meaning that it is not necessary that you really apply. It's up to you if you will apply for amnesty or not," he added. Another civilian included in the DOJ list, which he said contained around 50 names, was former ambassador Roy Señeres, Amorado said. Complete list Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, meanwhile, said what happened was normal and that all that Malacañang has to do is supply a complete list to the Senate. During the hearing, Senator Franklin Drilon also grilled Ochoa over the 90-day period of the application for amnesty. Ochoa said the Palace decided that 90 days is enough for some 300 beneficiaries to apply for the grant. He added that they had consulted detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who stands to benefit from the grant, about the amnesty proclamation. Proclamation 75 The Senate and the House of Representatives received from Malacañang last week the amended proclamation granting amnesty to soldiers and policemen involved in at least three attempts to overthrow the Arroyo administration. 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: