I have received inquires on what has happened to 1Lt Artemio Raymundo who was charged and detained for giving away CDs at an LRT station in September 2006.
Well, he is still detained. He will mark his second year in prison on Sept. 25.
Not only that. He was arraigned for violations of Articles of War 96 (Conduct Unbecoming of an Officer and Gentleman) last August 18, the day Gloria Arroyo declared a holiday. Last Friday, without the assistance of his chosen counsel, Harry Roque, who had requested for a postponement because he would be in Malaysia, he was arraigned for violations of Articles of War 64 (Disrespect Toward a Superior Officer).
Violation of AW 54 carries the maximum punishment of six months of confinement at hard labor. As mentioned earlier he has been in confinement for almost two years. But as an officer, he cannot be sentenced to hard labor.
Violation of AW 96 is dismissal from service.
It’s important to recall what were those CDs that caused the punishment of an officer, who has not previously been involved in any activity adverse to the interest of the Filipino.
The six CDs that he shared with fellow soldiers were of three kinds (not two as we previously reported). The first one, “Ang Mabuhay para sa Masa” is a biopic of former President Estrada and the two are about the rigging of the results of the 2004 elections titled “At All Costs” and “The Original Sin: Not Once But Twice.”
One has to have a deep reservoir of faith in truth and justice when covering court martial hearings. In the first hearing, the president of the panel was Brig. Gen. John Martir, one of his accusers. In fact, we learned from military sources who declined to be named that those preparing the charges against Raymundo knew that there was really no case against him but Martir allegedly ordered that he be charged.
When Raymundo’s counsel, Atty. Romel Bagares, asked that Martir inhibit himself from the case, the latter said that was unnecessary because he had done so three days earlier. But if that were so, why was he sitting in the panel at that time?
The irony of Martir’s hand in the Raymundo case is that Sen. Jinggoy Estrada voted for the confirmation of his promotion to brigadier general despite objections filed by Maria Flor Querubin, wife of detained officer Col. Ariel Querubin, for having gone AWOL (absence without leave) for more than a year (477 days).
Military life is equated with discipline. But I have observed that discipline does not necessarily mean efficiency and accuracy. There’s a lot of sloppiness on the part of the prosecution.
For example, Raymundo’s charge sheet was amended without the defense and the court notified officially about it until the defense raised the issue.
There was also the part when the pre-trial investigation report carried the date Oct. 2, 2007, five months before charges was filed which was March 2008. Something was very wrong there because in a court martial the PTI is conducted after charges are filed unlike in the civilian court when the preliminary investigation is conducted before the filing of charges.
The reason given by the Trial Judge Advocate Capt. Cristopher Ciubal, a young lawyer who has a strong tendency to be insolent, was “typographical error.” He said he just resorted to “copy and paste” in the administration of oath including the date. “Honest mistake,” he said.
There’s is nothing honest about the mistake that is the case itself against Raymundo. The documentaries contained in the CDs tell the truth about an important event in the Filipino people’s exercise of democracy.. Why would it be an offense when under the Constitution, we are in “a regime of truth, justice, freedom…”?
I found this in You Tube:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Ate Ellen,
We in the Marines are closely monitoring the developments in Raymundo’s case. A lot of us are seething with anger at the injustice being done to our junior officer. We are very much aware of his case and we all know that the offense of Raymundo only merits a mild tongue-lashing at most. How on earth was he jailed for almost two years is beyond us. But we all fully well know those people responsible for such an injustice and also those people who tolerated such an injustice. THERE IS A TIME FOR RECKONING!!!!!
Si Cuibal kaya ang i-cut and paste natin at nang maging efficient and truthful.
Sulbatz, don’t be offended if I ask why Marines and soldiers are only closely monitoring the government’s abuses. Don’t you think the days of monitoring are over? It’s now time to act!
Hanggang monitoring na lang ba ang kaya ng mga sundalo? Kelan ba ninyo aalisin sa pwesto ang demonya?
Lalo lang magiging corrupt ang lahat ng mga Pilipino dahil sa SC ruling kay Neri. Okay lang pala ang magsinungaling at pagtakpan ang pagsisinungaling sa gobiernong pandak! Look what happened to the Hello Garco too. How sad.
Raymundo’s fault was only to share Erap’s tape to his comrades. He ended up in a two year incarceration. Yet those who steal from our pockets everyday, kill our fellow Filipinos and lie to us day in and day out are enjoying their cognac and caviars! Such an injustice indeed!
Bakit ba nakakalusot pa ang mga ‘isahang’ kaso na ganito ito e bago na (raw) ang chief-of-staff.
Naku naman, 2 taon sa jail si Raymundo dahil lang sa nagpamigay ng Erap cd na sigurado namang hindi kinurakot ang ipinambili. Ang ilap ng hustisya sa Pinas.
And Gloria, the criminal nincompoop, brags that the Philippines is a democracy? She does not know that meaning of it apparently.
Filipinos have the right to know the truth even when they are not in the military. Soldiers of the Philippines should not be compelled to vow down to a wannabe criminal, and continue to follow her capricious orders. There should be laws to curtail such abuses of one who has not even been elected by the majority. Anyone caught cheating in an election should be held legally responsible for it. No need to impeach, just disqualify and prosecute the criminal, Gloria Pidal y Macapalgal!
Kung tama ang pakaintindi ko, six months lang ang maximum penalty sa kaso niya kung guilty, at 2 taon na siya sa preso. kKng sa ibang bansa iyan, paguusapan na ang compensation. Bakit hindi na lang mag gawa ng law sa Pinas ang mga tongressman at mga senatong para sa pagbibgay ng govt compensation sa mag katulad niya.
SULBATZ,
Can we not do something else there?
Friends,
Any hostile overtures from the military against the current administration will quickly be isolated and immobilized. The “powers that be” are counting on such incidents, they would welcome it so that they and some influential members of society can cry “respect the rule of law!” and “let us protect the constitution!” or “no to potential polpots!”
The changing of governments is not for the military but for civilians…
The best recourse for the military will always be “restraint” when it comes to going against duly constituted authority. I believe that Harry Roque would not subscribe to anything extrajudicial as far as his client is concerned.
Nothing lasts forever, and as Sulbatz said, “there is a time for reckoning.”
In the meantime though, we can strengthen those who weaken, help in any way we can, give moral support, show these men that we have not abandoned them, encourage them to keep their chins up. Its been a long time I know, but we have to trust in God in things we have no control in, and encourage the lawyers also, who have shown steadfast dedication even when faced with apparently insurmountable odds – the full brunt of the “rule of force.”
John Rat is at it again! He did the same thing with his affidavits. His documents were notarized before the witness signed! Yet Jinggoy confirmed him! Mmmm…
I was referring to his AWOL affidavit!
After September 25, Raymundo’s case should prescribe. But just like the Tanay Boys, the bansot and her doggie dog generals will keep him in prison. Indeed, there will be a time for reckoning. This John Rat will be hanged dry! He sure looked like a RAT when I was looking at him during the Senate confirmation. Parang isang bulate na lang ang hindi pumipirma sa death certificate niya. He was so thin and mukhang “lashing”!
Juggernaut,
Military schools and trainings always emphasize the dictum to follow legal orders only. If one follows unlawful orders then you are one with them and even get medals for it and on top of it some added renumerations from the R-VAT.
Valdemar,
True, but this time, Gloria’s minions are just waiting for any opportunity to pounce. Traps have been set already, you must remember, when it comes to successful coup plotting – nothing beats Gloria’s generals.
“Military life is equated with discipline”.
That’s true but that was before Chief of Staff Angelo Reyes made a mockery of it, turned rat and stabbed his Commander in Chief Erap at the back and embraced the evil bitch Gloria and her gangsters. From then Gloria prostituted and politicized the military using them to cheat for her in elections and as her personal bodyguards. The damage to the military is so deep that this once respected group will never be the same again.
You don’t follow legal orders and discipline in dealing with evils. They must be exorcised.
Lets see, so our active soldiers have already turned into monsters, traitors, turncoats, cowards, passive. Products of the PMA? They dont know how to fight wars anymore. While the MILF strats are far better now. They are fired not of love of country but hate to the intruders. Get the MILF to teach jungle warfare and bombings at the PMA sometimes.
PMA is now called Pidal Mike Arroyo.
Pulitiko ang siya ring sumira sa imahen at kridibilidad ng mga sundalo. Leave the soldiers alone. They are just waiting for orders, kaninong order? Sa mga matitino ba, o sira ulong mga pinuno?
The soldiers just follow order from the top. The top doesn’t just follow order from the Commander-in-Chief; but from Uncle Sam (US-CIA) too. Then Col. Gringo Honasan now Senator knew that too well. Ask him why his RAM group failed against Cory’s government.
Many friends called me up and cried foul on my entry above. Ok, I realize I am wrong. I must correct it with “Puwera de los buenos”.
Hi Eleen, sana may file ng strada biopic sa you tube, pati na rin und dalawa pang cd about ‘original sin’ at ‘at all cost’.
Bitchevil,
That was a good question and observation….
There are actually a lot of options to deal with these people who commit injustice to their fellow soldiers. But these options maybe worse than the cure and may even be worse than what the likes of Martir et al has committed. Surely, you wouldn’t want to see us go to the level of these ASKALS.
However, “THERE IS ALWAYS A TIME FOR RECKONING”. And some of our readers here know exactly what I mean by that.
Valdemar, it is fortunate for this country to have uniformed men with equanimity such as Juggernaut and Sulbatz. Moves to give Ate Glue the Heave Ho can only set back the nation’s economy a decade or two. Active or former military jerks like Esperon and Martir are probably co-terminus with the Boss, so patience would be the wise thing to do.
Off topic: US sent warship to Georgia. Usual alibi: Humanitarian mission. Many say it was the US which orchestrated the recent war in Georgia. So what’s new? Don’t we see it happening in Mindanao too? Are US soldiers there in Mindanao also because they are on humanitarian and medical mission?
Isn’t it that Police PMA Superintendents are sent to Quantico to be trained by FBI? Whatever happened to their training 🙂
Filipinos can be educated but cannot learn? Learning and education are totaly different animals. Learning is an application of education.
Let the PMA Superintendents look into this. See what happens.
I know they’d fail us.
Because if the ivy-league-foreign-schooled-graduate Senate clowns bungled ZTE invistigation so much more by a mere PMA graduate
Sa loob at labas ng bayan kong sawi
Kaliluha’y siyang nangyayaring hari
Kagalinga’t bait kimi’t nalulugami
Ininis sa hukay ng dusa’t pighati.
WoW TaxJove, ‘dat foreign language?
Articles of War being invoked on this guy for distributing CD’s regardless of it’s contents is preposterous!! Those that are in uniform and have extensive knowledge of our military – please help me read thru the lines. It resonates as if the government is at war with another country. Why not just call this fighting with the insurgents a “communal war” coz that’s how it looks to me.
Can this Junior Officer face his Commanding Officer instead and given punishment? That Articles of War being shoved down his throat is just horrible, funny if you asked me!
It’s already confirmed that Gloria has just appoint Chavit Singson as deputy national security adviser (NSA).
It’s really a BREAKING news, hahaha!
Hanggang saan ang patience ng madlang pipol?!
typo error sa inis at tawa…’appointed’
typo error sa inis at tawa…’appointed’. News source, abs/cbn.
Ellen, iskierda muna ako…nasuka ako ng husto at nilalagnat due to that news.
Why doesn’t Gloria name Chavit as NATIONAL SECURITY RISK instead? She could include herself, Esperon and Gonzales2x.
Or for that matter, why don’t we name Gloria, Esperon etal as NATIONAL SHAME?
Magaling talaga etong si Gloryang mang-inis. Binababoy na talaga ang ating Bansa.
Hayop talaga. Harapan na ang pang insulto. Mga sindikatong kriminal na ang may hawak ng Pilipinas.
Baka kumanta, so appoint him, para maka-invoke ng executive privilege. Dahil nasa NSA, puwedeng sabihing jueteng secrets involve the national security.
What are his qualifications, dati daw siyang Chief of Police, so he is used to conflicts. Conflict na pala ang kotongan ang tricycle driver sa Vigan.
Marami daw siyang kaibigan sa Mindanao. Marami rin akong kaibigan na Koreano; so puwede ba akong mag-mediate between the North and the South?
Bakit hindi na lang si Pidal, after all, marami siyang binayaran doon? May precedent naman, dahil inappoint ni Macoy si Imelda. Puwede rin si Borjer, dahil marami ring kaibigan yan doon.
Garapalan na rin lang, isama na ang yaya ng mga apo, para cabinet level na rin ang suweldo.
06 September 2008
Sorry to off-topic again, but according to ex-justice mendoza, the MOA-AD is tantamount to recognizing the independence of the BJE, as he said it, once signed under the provision of the constitution and as recogninized by the president of the republic, the BJE under the MILF will declare its independence in the future, as the case of the philippine commonwealth as said by justice mendoza.
“Essential elements of a state
Mendoza agreed that the scenario painted by the MOA-AD “fits into the accepted definition of a state” as it contains the essential elements of a state, namely people, territory, sovereignty and government.
Mendoza likened the BJE to the Philippine situation during the Commonwealth period where the country was not considered a part of the United States territory although subject to its sovereignty. The Philippines was able to participate in the signing of treaties and international agreements in its capacity as a sovereign government “although not absolute,” Mendoza said, quoting the SC decision in Laurel v. Misa.
The Philippines was eventually granted independence by the US. Such a case may happen to the BJE in the future, he hinted.”
another point by justice mendoza is:
” In fact, the MOA-AD seeks to amend the Constitution to conform with it, not the agreement to conform with the Charter. “Talk of the Constitution—that does not apply to this document. This view is reinforced by the fact that the MOA was set for signing “in the presence of” the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia…attended by representatives of other countries.”
If that is the case, as stated by justice mendoza in the above mentioned paragraph, then the brotherHOOD especially the illegal occupant in the palace can be subjected to impeachment.
That is already an impeachable offense, but the question is??? will the HONORABLE (if they exist) officials in the houses of congress impeach her???
that my friends reamisn to be seen.
prans
Gloria gifts Chavit Singson deputy security adviser post!
…The list of administration losing candidates given new government posts is now almost complete. Next is Teresa Aquino Oreta. What does Singson know about national security?
All he knows is to secure himself with battalion of bodyguards and protect his province’s illegal businesses. Besides, didn’t Singson warn GMA that he would withdraw his support from her if Erap was pardoned?
And this is what’s alarming…as Deputy National Security Adviser, Singson is given more power to go after his political and personal enemies. The opposition particularly Erap’s camp must watch out.
Ilocos Sur warlord Chavit Singson will not settle for number two post. NSA Norberto Gonzales will be ease out soon.
I think so, Diego. Jueteng and other gambling operations will now be back in full swing. He is placed by Malacanang as National Security Adviser to secure the Pidal’s gambling operations in preparation for the 2010 election. That’s his only job.
Atty. is correct. Now that the SC has ruled in favor or executive privilege, GMA immediately appointed Singson to government post. I don’t believe the appointment was a coincidence. Malacanang was waiting for the SC final ruling before appointing Singson. Let these crooks enjoy their lives until 2010. After 2010, let’s hang everyone of them together with the number one criminal in the Palace.
Oh boy, this is what Malacanang says about US troops in Mindanao:
“American troops come and go in this country. The soldiers all look alike so it’s as if they never leave.
It was with such levity that Malacañang dismissed allegations that visiting forces from the United States appeared to have become a permanent fixture in the landscape of Zamboanga City and other crisis-torn parts of Mindanao.”
BE: “American troops come and go in this country. The soldiers all look alike so it’s as if they never leave.”
*****
Totoo ba iyan, BE? Ang bobo naman!
Yes, it was Ermita who said that as posted in Inquirer. Please read
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080907-159154/Palace-GIs-all-look-alike
We should welcome the continued presence of the American soldiers. That is one way to improve our native girls and alimonies. No need to go to the US anymore on fake visas.
An erstwhile Ilocano solon with so many cases including that of wife beating was made the chairman of the house panel for justice…
neonate,
Normally the authorities just disavow agents like that marine apprehended in a condo unit bustling with silencers (probably used on the Batanes gov), sophisticated IEDs (used probably on the Batasan and Makati bombings and etc. Lets see that new bank robbery….
Bakit nga ba tayong Pinoy
Masyadong mabait?
Kahit na sampalin, tadyakan at lurayin,
walang ginagawa kundi magbunganga.
Kumilos tayo kahit masawi
alang-alang sa bayang nagdadalamhati.
Tapos na ang pagpapatawad,
tapos na ang pagbubunganga,
ang kailangan ay tingga,
kahit dugo ay bumulwak sa
sinilangang lupa!
This BGen John Martir was probably promised a second star and a government post after his retirement. These are the kind of officers, unprincipled and no word of honor, that are susceptible to the manipulation of those in power.
Being a former AFP officer, I am disappointed that many senior officers who because of their ambition have allowed themselves to become puppets and stooges of this immoral and illigitimate commander-in-chief who has brought disgrace
and dishonor to this benighted nation of ours.
It is high time that the glorious days of the uniform be brought back to the fore, where ethics, morality and truth
are hold dearly in every action and decision making.
Para sa akin, BE, lahat ng sabihin ni Ermita kabulastugan, and boy, ang bobo ng dating. Tarantado din ano. Parang katulad noong mga bobong kano na ang tingin sa mga intsik, hapon at koreano, iisang mukha! Iyan ang inutil! Now wonder, hindi na umasenso ang Pilipinas! Lalong nakulilat!
Correct. If the Chinese finally control the Spratleys, Ermita would again explain they all look the same.
bitchevil, I heard there is oil in Spratleys! So what!
We cannot drill oil in Spratleys anyways. Let us just give it to the Chineses. There’s nothing out there.
If you’re talking about oil, forgetted it.
In Tanon Strait, between Cebu and Negros, there’s a potential million of barrel of oil. But we blocked it. Because the most important thing to us is the environment and the habitat of dolphins over the hunger pangs of children.
So why fight over Spratleys. If we owned it we cannot drill it. We’d rather protect it’s PRESTINE ENVIRONMENT.
SO SPRATLEYS IS A SHOWING OF FESTIVITY OF NAIVETE,IGNORANCE OF DUMB FILIPINO POLITICIANS WHO ARE SENT ABROAD TO FURTHER STUDY … HA!HA!HA! GUNG-GUNG FILIPINOS CANNOT STOP TO AMAZE ME!!!!!
More than drilling oil, it’s all about sovereignty and our rights as people. For centuries, countries fought one another because of sovereignty. And watch out for the Artic in North America (Canada). It won’t be long the area would be a battle ground among large nations. If we follow your premise and argument that we might as well give up or give away those territories that belong to us, then why not the entire Philippines? Or is the Philippines already owned by other countries?
And of course the question is…are we prepared to claim and defend our territories? Unfortunately, the answer is NO.
be,
Our soldiers would gladly give up their lives to protect our sovereignty. Just don’t let them die needlessly for some political agenda, lets put a stop to these politicians using them as pawns.
That’s why instead of fighting our brother Muslims, our fellow Filipinos in the South, why not send these soldiers to Sabah and Spratleys?