Dr. Edita Burgos, mother of missing activist Jonas Burgos, yesterday accused AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon of covering up for Army soldiers suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of her son almost two months ago.
“I accuse the Army of the crime of kidnapping my son Jonas… I strongly suspect that either or both of the commanding officers of the 56th Infantry Battalion, Lt. Col. Noel Clement and Lt. Col. Melquiades Feliciano, are participants in that crime,” Dr. Burgos, widow of press freedom icon and former Malaya publisher Jose “Joe” Burgos Jr., said at a press conference in Quezon City.
Clement was former commander of the Army’s 56th Infantry Battalion based in Norzagaray, Bulacan, where a vehicle involved in illegal logging operations was impounded in June last year. The license plates of the impounded XLT jeep were seen on a Toyota Revo used by Jonas’ abductors. The military has said the plates were possibly stolen and used in the April 28 abduction of Jonas. The vehicle is still at the 56th IB.
Feliciano took over Clement’s post last January.
Esperon has approved a recommendation to admonish Clement, Feliciano and Lt. Col. Edison Caga.
Caga is commander of the 69th IB which took over the headquarters of the 56th IB when the latter went away for training from November last year to March this year.
Dr. Burgos said Esperon was trying to hide the truth by denying her copies of the investigation reports of the Army and AFP provost marshals and invoking “national security” and confidentially in justifying his action.
She said Esperon’s refusal to reveal the contents of the report prevents her access to information that may help her find her son.
She said her lawyer Ricardo Fernandez requested copies in a letter dated May 21. Judge Advocate General Brig. Gen. Nemesio I. Dabal responded only on June 6 through a letter received on June 21. Dabal denied the request, saying the probe needed to be kept secret because it concerns a “classified matter” and might endanger “national security” and cause “unwarranted injury” to those being investigated before formal charges are lodged.
“My right to know vital information about my son, and even more important, my son’s well-being, has primacy over the perceived injury that those under investigation may suffer, or the perceived preemption of the final outcome of the investigation, assuming that it is still ongoing,” Dr. Burgos said.
She also said Esperon has refused to meet her despite representations made by President Arroyo and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.
“General Esperon’s conduct, or rather misconduct, only reinforces my belief that the Army abducted Jonas and General Esperon is covering up for the Army,” she said.
Cavite Provincial Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco said Jonas’ disappearance could be classified as a case of media harassment.
Velasco, a former Malaya reporter, was recently appointed by President Arroyo as head of a special prosecution team dedicated to handling cases of media killings.
He said the abduction was a blatant disrespect for Jonas’ father who he said defended press freedom during the martial law days.
“It did not happen to Joe Burgos, why should it happen now? Sa anak pa niya. So we are treating this as a form of media harassment,” he said.
Velasco also said mediamen charged with libel by any individual, including government officials, can go to the justice department for an assessment of the charges filed against them.
“Tignan natin kung paano yung pagka-libel. Kasi kung valid naman yung criticism, government officials should not be onion-skinned. If nobody will criticize, paano ang mangyayari? Eh ‘di abuso kaliwa’t kanan ito,” he said. – With Raymond Africa
Like a lot many of us protesting against this extrajudicial killings, etc., I am praying for the early solution of this case of Jonas Burgos regardless of whether or not he is still alive. Pero much as I hate to say this, Jonas may longer be up above the ground. I don’t know but the first time I saw his photo being held by his mother, I felt such terrible sadness and hope for this young man, who has made his parents proud. I felt the same thing for the two UP students who are still to be found.
Sabi nga ng isa sa mga nanay ng mga kinidnap ng mga halimaw na ito na siyang dapat na nangangalaga ng kapayapaan, katahimikan at kapakanan ng mga taumbayan, “Nasaan na ang mga pusong makatao ng mga ito! Si Gloria ay isang ina rin, bakit hindi siya nababagabag sa mga ginagawa ng mga sundalong ito na nasasailalim niya?” Kasi siya ang may utos? Hindi naman siguro nila gagawin ang mga kawalanghiyaang ginagawa nila kung hindi niya iniutos. Gosh, wala na bang katapusan?
PATALSIKIN NA, NOW NA!
Esperon and his guys will do everything to cover up their involvement in the kidnapping of Jonas. Marami ng pinatay na kumakalaban sa administration pero hanggang ngayon ay wala pang napaparusahan dahil silang military ang involved. Talagang rotten na rotten ang administration ni arroyo palibhasay illegal ang pagkakaupo nya, shame on her! I feel sorry sa family ni Jonas at sa mga iba pang families na victims ng extrajudicial killings.
Thank you Ellen for your efforts to bring this case back into public consciousness. The fact that news as grave as Jonas’ disappearance can be relegated to the second tier is an indictment of this administration’s moral bankruptcy, its multitude of sins all competing for public attention.
Gloria Arroyo, you have a lot of explaining to do when you meet your Maker.
Skip: Gloria Arroyo, you have a lot of explaining to do when you meet your Maker.
*****
Sinabi mo pa, Skip. Even in heaven, the principle of command responsibility is being upheld as passages in the Holy Scriptures prove.
Being a leader in fact entails a lot of responsibilities. No one can play innocent and wash off his hands the way Pontius Pilate did though the gesture was more symbolic than anything else. But then, of course, that of Pontius Pilate was necessary for the fulfillment of the Sacrifice Christ that was foretold of old for saving mankind.
In the case of the unano, there is actually no excuse as things are done more for hers and her cahoots’ selfish personal vested interests.
She actually has a lot to be grateful for the members of Satur Ocampo’s group. Her inauguration in 2001 was made possible by the support and help of Ocampo’s group that her oathtaking at the EDSA Shrine was said to be “streaming red” with all those red streamers of Gabriela, etc. So, why is she persecuting these people, who have tried to be law-abiding and useful citizens?
I find her Secretary of Injustice more tyrannical than say the leaders of China, which is the only Communist country left in the world aside from North Korea. They should be condemned as a matter of fact.
gng. edita burgos,
huwag mo nang ilalayo ang iyong paningin. tama ang iyong kutob at sapantaha – KINUKUPKOP AT PINAGTATAKPAN ni AFP cheat-of-staff hermogenes esperon ang mga kidnaper ng iyong anak na si jonas.
nakakalungkot isipin na ang sandatahan lakas na siyang dapat maging tagapangalaga ng ating kapakanan bilang pinagkatiwalaan ayon sa ating saligang batas ang NGAYON ay unang unang lumalabag sa karapatan ng mamamayan at NAPAPAKASANGKAPAN sa kapritso ng HUWAD, MANDARAYA AT SINUNGALING na umaastang pangulo, gloria MAKAGARAPAL arroyo na animo’y lintang sobra ang pagkakasipsip sa puwesto at hindi gustong mapuknat kahit ano’ng pag-ayaw sa kanya ng sambayanan.
ang pamunuan ng kasalukuyang HUBONG SANDATAHAN ang nag-uutos upang isagawa ang mga pagdukot at pagpaslang sa mga MARKADONG itinuturing na kaaway ng mga impakto sa loob ng malakanyang!!
NO TRO!
Travesty in Comelec continues.
Zubiri on the verge of being proclaimed.
Papayag na tayo dito???????????
*Papayag ba tayo dito?
Huwag tayong papayag na magkaroon ng PEKENG SENADOR. Kung mangyayari ito dahil sa kutsabahan ng KUMOLEK, Zubiri at Gloria ay walang ibang recourse kundi BUWAGIN ang gobyernong peke ni Arroyo! Our institutions are REALLY ROTTEN TO THE CORE! MAMAMAYANG PILIPINO, UMPISAHAN ANG TUNAY NA PAGBABAGO!!!
“Dr. Burgos said Esperon was trying to hide the truth by denying her copies of the investigation reports of the Army and AFP provost marshals”.
This is but another example of how stupid we are to allow an un-professional rag tag AFP to become elitist to the PNP when the AFP’s belief in concept of superiority is above the law of the land and dangerous, as is shown time and time again with the stupidity of the so called Chief of Staff. We must employ more police and train them properly, the Europeans have just been reported as being willing to give advice on police traing, lets take advantage of this offer.
Of late, the fact that the AFP troops openly supported the actions of Sonny Triilanes against the will of their Chief of Staff show us that even the Army Troops DO NOT respect their chain of command, so why do we the people entertain it, we should be protesting loud & clear!
The very first thing the Senate should do is ensure that the AFP be separated from the PNP. All professional armies around the world would never entertain their military to investigate allegations of crime against themselves.
This investigation is a job for the civil police service. Second, then accept assistance to improve police training.
Third, keep this un-profetional rag tag AFP confined to barracks where they belong, ordering each other about.
un-professional rag tag AFP – sorri
Skip:
Be patient, whilst these new senate members straighten out the many corrupt institutions. Singapore has announced that their election voting will be done by internet access and have offered hakers to attempt to break the security system.
If we didn’t have such a corrupt Comelec, if Singaporeans could do it via internet, so could we.
Every time I see the Comelec dressed in their black gowns they remind me of a bunch of Mafia criminals employed by Schizoglo and her spouse Piggy Malone.
Two months na pala ang nakaraan sa pag kidnap kay Jonas. I pray that he is still alive at itinago lang. Sana he was just “stolen” at isauli din.
A friend asked what is meant by KKK. Sa US Ku Klux Klan… Sa Philippines in today’s lingo- Kanyang Kanyang Korruption.
Funny how the police there will even have difficulty arresting a criminal on some flimsy excuse that he has several addresses as alleged by the police assigned to arrest Bedol. Bobo! Kahit nga walang warrant if the person is already on the blot, why can police there not arrest him? Kasi ba may sariling pulis si Bedol? O sinasadyang itago si Bedol para makalimutan ang kaso niya? What a crap!
FYI
—– Original Message —–
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 5:42 PM
Subject: Photos/text/video: Mother of Jonas Burgos tags military as kidnappers of her son
In a press conference Dr. Edita Burgos accused the military of abducting her son and AFP Chief of Staff Esperon of covering up the crime
Please visit:
http://www.arkibongbayan.org/
Arkibong Bayan Web Team
Skip,
Re: Gloria Arroyo, you have a lot of explaining to do when you meet your Maker.
Her Maker doesn’t need any explanations; it’s the people of the Philippines who need and want it now and if Gloria shithead’s explanations are not satisfactory, then off with her head! Why pass the buck on to the Maker?