Never have I seen Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim as upset as in last Friday’s hearing of the special general court martial trying the 28 officers accused of planning to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo’s bogus presidency in February 2006.
In the past 10 months of tedious and frustrating trial, Lim has always been a picture of calm demeanor, never complaining even as younger officers would sometimes express annoyance openly over what they perceive is the blatant railroading by the court created by AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon.
But last Friday, Gen. Lim stood up when the panel was asking the whereabouts of Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda who was absent. An officer, apparently in charge of the detainees, said that Miranda was in bed when he checked him before the hearing.
Lim told the court that General Miranda, who is his bunkmate in the Camp Capinpin detention quarters (separate from the 26 other officers), collapsed in the bathroom last week, almost banging his head on the floor, “He wanted to go to the hospital but he was not allowed. He was told he was a security risk. Some people are playing God here,” he said, anger apparent in his voice.
Miranda is suffering from diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood sugar and vertigo. In the hearing last Sept. 7, even some members of media noticed that Gen. Miranda had lost some weight. A member of the family who visited him three weeks ago said the former Marines commandant complained of a general body weakness.
Lim said Lt. Col. Edwin Leo Torellavega, head of the Camp Capinpin hospital, called up Camp Aguinaldo to Miranda had to be taken to the hospital. Brig. Gen. Alfredo Cayton, the former commander of the AFP’s Headquarters and Headquarters Support Command, said he could not allow it because Miranda is a security risk.
Lim said a doctor from Camp Capinpin hospital came to the detention quarters and examined Gen. Miranda, but with limited equipment, he can only do so much.
“We are talking here of lives of people,” Lim said in utter frustration stressing and adding that they have not been convicted and they don’t deserve the inhumane treatment. “People are playing God even when it comes to the health and lives of people,” he added.
To add insult to injury, Lim said Mrs. Delia Miranda had been lied to by the AFP’s deputy chief of staff for logistics, Rear Adm. Ludovico Franco, when she was told that her husband is already confined at the hospital.
Franco, Miranda and Esperon are batch mates of Philippine Military Academy Class ’74.
It was not only Lim who was angered by the way Miranda is being treated. While the court martial panel was discussing what to do with Gen. Miranda, one after another the other officers spoke. Col. Orlando de Leon said, “It should be now!” Major Jose Leomar Doctolero reminded the panel that Miranda has been sick for two weeks. Capt. Ruben Guinolbay said, “Does that mean we will just let him die?”
The court went into a five-minute break that stretched to almost 40 minutes. Some of the officers remarked, “They are still contacting Esperon, asking for his instructions.” A dig at what they say is the court’s lack of independence from Esperon, the accuser in this case.
Another officer joked, “They are having difficulty contacting him because they forgot to remove the jammer” in reference to what is accepted as bugging of communication lines in the camp. In the Sept. 7 hearing, Gen. Miranda complained that the communication lines in their detention quarters have been cut off.
So used were the officers to have their motions denied by the panel that when it resumed and the motion of the only lawyer civilian lawyer present last Friday, Atty. Sigfrid Fortun (counsel for Col. Ariel Querubin) for adjournment was granted, everybody was surprised.
Last Saturday, Esperon sent this message to media: “Result of follow-up check up conducted this afternoon (Sept. 28) on Maj. Gen. Miranda: patient is not admissible. He can be managed as an out-patient. Condition (benign positional vertigo) has improved from that of last check-up (18 Sept) though the patient still complains of occasional dizziness but hearing in affected ear as well as otoscopic finding showed improvement.
“Patient has enlarged tonsils. Medication has been prescribed. Sept. 19 lab test (blood chem) results FBS and ALAT slightly elevated. Considered normal and controlled as patient is taking meds. There are no life-threatening findings.”
Someone sympathetic to the detained officers made a slight correction to Esperon’s message: “Check up was done last night, NOT yesterday as claimed by Esperon. In short, Dr. Esperon released his findings before seeing the patient.”
I asked Col. Bartolome Bacarro about Gen. Cayton’s alleged statement that Miranda cannot be brought to the camp hospital because he was a security risk, he said, “Gen. Cayton made no such remarks.”
I asked Bacarro about the request of Miranda to undergo a general/executive check up. He did not reply.
Even the nicest person has his limit. How could Lim not be upset with the treatment on Miranda? Hindi lang kabaro niya, the AFP authority risked Miranda’s life and safety.
I reached the point that I want all these ‘honorable men’ get angry at all those abusing the country and people.
Tingnan ko kung ano ang laban ni Gloria at Asspweron sa justified na galit ng mga magigiting ng sundalo!
angry at
Pechanco, much that I dislike Gloria Arroyo and her ilk, I will not countenance violence. I will not be a party to inciting a revolution.
Please don’t do it here. If you notice, I’ve been deleting that part in your comments. Thank you.
Sorry Ellen. That’s the only way and our last option. How long do people must suffer? They can trace the origin of my post and arrest me. I shall be liable for my statement, just me alone. Revolution is such a tricky word. Anong revolution? Bloodless and non-violent revolution. Kapag mapayapang paghihimagsik na nangyari naman noong Edsa 1 & 2, hindi ba puwede ngayon na mas malala ang mga kasalanan nitong rehimeng na ito?
I won’t encourage you to use revolution liberally. I have legal responsibilities in this blog.I don’t want to court trouble unnecessarily.
Really glad that Lim stood up and addressed the court – “Some people are playing God here” is a good civilized attack.
Re: “Mrs. Delia Miranda had been lied to by the AFP’s deputy chief of staff for logistics, Rear Adm. Ludovico Franco, when she was told that her husband is already confined at the hospital.”
Did Franco really lie? Extraordinary!
When these ‘good men’ in unison become exasperated, Asspweron will run in fear eating his tail!
Sinungaling ang fake commmander-in -chief Gloria, e di sinungaling rin ang mga sipsip na tauhan sa militar.
Pati ang kalagayan ni Gen. Miranda ay itinatago sa asawa. Gloria’s ‘Garci Men’ are totally fucked up!
“I won’t encourage you to use revolution liberally. I have legal responsibilities in this blog.I don’t want to court trouble unnecessarily.”
I do not object to your being careful Ellen. Walang masama sa nag-iingat.
But just for discussion, walang danger, or liability on your part, even if you allow the discussion of revolution. Congress can only punish activity, not speech. So between the freedom of speech of pechanco, and your own freedom as a journalist, subordinate ang mga anti-sedition laws.
That is the ideal of course, but the reality is this administration chooses to interpret laws in their favor, katulad noong na-harass ang Daily Tribune.
Gusto ko ring mag-agree sa mga comments ni pechanco. But to respect your need to be careful, I will use the more neutral term, “civil disobedience.”
atty36252: Gusto ko ring mag-agree sa mga comments ni pechanco. But to respect your need to be careful, I will use the more neutral term, “civil disobedience.”
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Point is if people back in the Philippines are willing to do even this “civil disobedience” thing.
Thanks a lot for your clarification, attorney. Your explanation was timely. To place Ellen in hot spot or trouble is farthest from my mind. As I said, the term “revolution” is tricky and broad. May violent at bloody revolution; may peaceful revolution naman tulad noon. But perhaps attorney you can enlighten us with the meaning of “revolution”.
Tama ka ystakei. Kahit nga ba pinaka-civil na disobedience hindi ginagawa sa Pilipinas. Kung kailan talamak ang corruption at abot Mount Everest and mga kasalanan ni Gloria saka hindi kumikilos ang mga tao. Samantalang si Erap bribery lang ang kasalanan at hindi plunder, pinatalsik nila ng ganoong kadali.
pechanco;
Civil disobedience is the deliberate and public refusal to obey a law. People refuse to obey laws that they believe go against their personal principles. Many times throughout the course of history civil disobedience has been used as a non-violent means to show disapproval of laws. Example; Mahatma Gandhi resisted tyranny through Civil disobedience which led India to independence. Gandhi influenced important leaders and political movements that gives positive results. One of the leaders of the civil rights movement in the United States, Martin Luther King, Anti-apartheid activist and former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, Others include, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Steve Biko, and now, Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar. Who will be inspired on Gandhi’s principle in the Philippines? Unless we have a person the likes of the person I mentioned above, Civil Disobedience can have a positive results. If no one forget it! Esperon military will haul their asses in the slammer.
But Cocoy, I think only those with Civil Service eligibility have the right to join the Civil Disobedience. Otherwise, they have to be content with Civil Obedience. Obey na lang sila di ba? Pero puwera biro, sa laki at dami ng kasalanan ni Madame Impakta, hindi sapat ang Civil Disobedience. Talagang malakas na disobedience na yayanig sa Palasyo at kaladkarin siya palabas…hubaran at itali sa poste ng Meralco sa Mendiola, then all of us throw stones, darts, arrows, anything including shit at her.
thanks to Gen. Lim, he stood up for Gen. Miranda.
kung walang gagalaw at kikilos, tautauhan nalang tayong lahat.
Yes, it’s true na itinago kay Mrs. Miranda ang kondisyon ng kanyang asawa, papaano kung mag isa lang sa detention si Gen. Miranda? mangingisay nlang ba sya doon ng walang nakakalam?
Kung kaya nilang gawin yon sa isang General, how much more sa isang ordinaryong sundalo?
They said Gen. Miranda is a security risk, o baka naman takot lang si Assperon na masapawan, I know you Assperon, ikaw na ang pinakaplastic na taong nakilala ko, siguro kahit anak mo ilalaglag mo para lang sa pansariling kapakanan.
I didnt know na may medical background pala si Assperon, marunong pa sya sa isang tunay na doctor.
Sayang, kung sino ang mga utak lamok sya ang nasa posisyon, at kung sino ang may malasakit sa bansa yun ang nasa detensyon.
Medical Check-Up lang ang hinihingi ni General Miranda, hindi ang posisyon mo ASSPERON……….
Re” Medical Check-Up lang ang hinihingi ni General Miranda, hindi ang posisyon mo Assperon……
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Eksakto! And yet nanginginig na ang tumbong ni Asspweron!
Siguro noong nag-aaral sila sa PMA ay kulelat itong si Ass, kaya sobrang inggit kay Gen. Miranda!
Re: Civil Disobedience. Noong panahon ni Marcos, yung mga compania at bankong isinama sa listahan nagreklamo. Hindi daw sila kasama sa Marcos and Krony group bakit inilista sila. Kon iyon ang gusto ng Pinoy sa labas easy magagawa yon gaya ng li-itan ang remittance sa Pinas at hindi idaan sa banks ‘di sa private companies lang at saka huwag mag sakay sa PAL. Makita mo bago matapos ang 2007 i-iyak ang gobierno. Sa ganong paraan hindi papasok sa Pinas ang dollares ang ibigay ng small remittance companies ay pesos na. Di ang labas ng gobierno parang ginigisa sa sariling mantika. Between now and 31 December baka hindi lang $10 bilyon mawawala sa bayan.
Esperon’s text sounds suspiciously medical, but that should not be a surprise. He is married to a doctor, who has her own set of disturbing pet oppressions. But it looks like she provided the “justification” for Gen. Miranda’s continued confinement.
What is particularly scary is this, Esperon has been stepping up the oppressive acts. First, the confinement and trial in Tanay. The insistence that the hearings be held arbitrarily. The cutting off of communications. The increasing secrecy and stringency on the media. The new rules on visitations that cause hardship on the families and lawyers. Now the denial of medical attention. What is is his end game here? He is escalating these acts, creating a pressure cooker situation. Could he be forcing these men to surrender to the administration and toe the line? What is his alternative if he fails?
Talagang he will fail. I don’t think those officers are the spineless type of Romy Neri.
If Gen. Miranda is seriously ill, I think his custodian can bring him in the doctor or hospital without asking permission from Esperon or to anyone’s concern. “The Good Samaritan Doctrine” may be applied.
bgen danny lim, a quiet, just and no mean officer as he was in his early years would not be that upset if the condition of mgen miranda is not really worse.
just cannot imagine how this dr esPWEron, the wife of SHIT OF STAF released her findings on mgen miranda when in fact the sick general was not even personally attended to by her.
hindi lang diyos ang palagay sa sarili ng mga dimonyong naggmamagaling kundi sila ang may ari ng buhay ng mga nakadetineng opisyal!
MR, it was not Dr. Esperon, the wife, who issued the findings.
It was the doctor in Camp Capinpin and it was Esperon who relayed it to media.
The reaction about “Dr. Esperon” was a jibe at the chief of straff by someone sympathetic to the detained officers. It was said in sarcasm.
salamat, aling ellen.
Why do we think that Esperon will do the right thing for these people? His fate is totally intertwined with GMA since the Hello Garci episode. I bet he would like all of these people to simply disappear from the face of the earth since they are thorns at his side! How can he enjoy his loots with people like these?
Don’t expect any mercy from crooks! Obviously, personal interests comes first before morals!
One thing I could not understand is why are the rank and files of AFP still taking all these bullshits from Esperon sitting down? Were they all swallowed up by the system that was installed by GMA?
re:If Gen. Miranda is seriously ill, I think his custodian can bring him in the doctor or hospital without asking permission from Esperon or to anyone’s concern. “The Good Samaritan Doctrine” may be applied.
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bka nga kahit pag ihi kailangan pa ipaalam kay ASSPERON,
ang hindi ko maintindihan, bakit hindi nila bigyan ng security si Gen. Miranda pag nag pa general check up ito? Im sure it wont take a week para ma general check up yung tao. Hindi ba nila kaya bantayan o baka naman hindi nga sila sigurado sa loyalty ng mga sundalo nila, sabi nga nung mga sundalo sa tanay, sir hindi po namin gusto ang ginagawa namin, sumusunod lang po kami sa utos.
naintindihan namin itong mga sundalong ito may mga pamilya din sila, yung mga sundalong na relieve sa serbisyo at kinulong na din yung iba dahil nakalusot si senator lacson, ganun nlang ba yun? hindi nb sila pwede dalawin ng kahit na sinong public official?
hindi na nga nagrereklamo ang mga pamilya ng mga detained officers sa layo ng tanay madalaw lang sila, katakot takot pa na log book at check point ang dadaanan mo, na utos lahat ni ASSPERON,
ewan ko ba kung saan natatakot si ASSPERON, o insecure lang talaga sya sa beauty ni Gen. Miranda
You’re right Ellen, Esperon will fail, no question about it. Walang duwag sa Tanay. This means we must be vigilant in protecting these men. They have stood on the wall for us, protecting us from national security threats to the best of their abilities. They have been recognized for all that. Its our turn now. A grateful nation must remember them constantly. Only in our remembering will they be protected.
That’s the reason why Esperon is restricting media from covering. He wants the coverage to be lousy so that reporters would not waste time covering the trial so the officers would be forgotten by the public.
I hope media – the defense press corps, the big networks, do not succumb to this manipulation by Esperon.
Oh, please read the article on Malaya today (http://www.malaya.com.ph/oct02/news4.htm) entitled “A destabilizer not entitled to executive checkup-Esperon”, referring to the condition of Gen. Miranda.
Ang kapal talaga! Mga walang puso!