MANILA, Philippines — Solicitor General Jose Calida, the executive branch’s chief legal counsel, kept mum if his office had a hand in the Palace’s review of amnesty granted to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.
“We have such a thing as a privileged communication between lawyer and the client. I will not comment yet, it’s too early,” Calida told reporters.
President Rodrigo Duterte, through Proclamation No. 572, declared the amnesty granted to Trillanes by former President Benigno Aquino III as void. The chief executive said that the senator "did not comply with the minimum requirements to qualify under the Amnesty Proclamation."
READ: Duterte revokes Trillanes' amnesty for Magdalo mutinies
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who is also the officer-in-charge while the president is in Israel, said that while he is not certain, lawyers from the Office of the Solicitor General and Malacañang “probably” reviewed the amnesty grant. But Calida, pressed by reporters, again quipped “privileged communication.”
“As I said, I’m invoking my privileged communication because I’m the lawyer of the Republic,” he added.
Trillanes could file a case against me
The solicitor general also brushed off Trillanes’ comment that this declaration of the amnesty as null is due to Calida’s doing.
Trillanes has initiated, and is heading a legislative probe into the alleged conflict of interest in Calida’s stock ownership of Vigilant Investigative and Security Agency Inc. The agency has multi-million contracts with several government bodies.
Calida ran to the Supreme Court to ask for a halt order on the probe, but Trillanes pushed through with the inquiry on Tuesday, September 4.
“I don’t know about him, but he’s not a judge, if he wants to file cases, let him file a case,” Calida added.
Trillanes is one of the staunchest critics of President Rodrigo Duterte.
He slammed the Palace’s proclamation as political persecution on the administration’s critics, a claim denied both by presidential spokesman Harry Roque and Guevarra.