The senators on Wednesday advised presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte to be very prudent with his plans to grant amnesty to all political prisoners and give at least four cabinet positions to the communist rebels.
”While there is reason to be hopeful that the proposals to
give the CPP/NPA at least four cabinet positions and amnesty to political
prisoners would lead to the end of the decades old insurgency, we should be
very prudent and very deliberate in our approach,” Senator Antonio Trillanes IV
told the Senate media.
Trillanes, a former Navy officer who led failed military
mutinies during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said Jose
Maria ‘Joma’ Sison should be asked if the Communist Party of the Philippines
(CPP) founder would really give up his communist aspirations.
”Would the political detainees to be given amnesty, like the
Tiamsons, be swearing an oath of allegiance to our government and permanently
lay down their arms?” the senator asked.
Trillanes stressed that the “generous offer” of Duterte to
the communist rebels should require laying down of arms and oath of allegiance
to the Philippine government.
”Otherwise, Joma Sison and the communists might take
advantage of this and use this freedom, power and influence to actually strengthen
their forces to pursue their cause,” he said.
Panfilo Lacson, one of the top 12 senators to be proclaimed
by the Commission on Elections on Thursday, agreed with Trillanes.
”The issue of the CPP/NPA/NDF not laying down their arms and
abandoning their armed struggle to overthrow the duly constituted authority
with the objective of taking over the government may have to be resolved first
before they formally assume office,” Lacson said.
Lacson, also a former police official, said Duterte’s plans
to grant amnesty to all political prisoners would require “some legal nuances.”
”Every peace process especially with a five-decade old
insurgency problem should start with good faith and goodwill. Nevertheless, we
must look at this move with guarded optimism,” Lacson said.
”For one, most of the cases involving the political
prisoners are pending with the different courts and therefore, under the
jurisdiction of a co-equal branch of government which is the judiciary,” he
added.
For his part, Senate deputy minority leader Sen. Vicente
Sotto III said Duterte would have his prerogative to appoint members of his
cabinet based on trust and confidence.
”But that just half of the story. The other half is the
Commission on Appointments. Will they be confirmed? I do not know,” Sotto said.
Lacson said all the Cabinet secretaries have to pass the
scrutiny of the Commission on Appointments “under the principle of check and
balance.”
”Having said that, those who would be appointed have to take
their oath office and they must swear to protect and defend the Constitution of
the Republic of the Philippines
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=886440
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