Lawyer Ernesto Francisco, jr. yesterday said he will be filing contempt of court charges against AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. for the unlawful interference by the ISAFP (Intelligence Service of the AFP) in the ongoing hearing on the writ of Amparo filed by the relatives of participants in the Nov. 29 activity who are included in “Wanted” posters”
Here’s Atty. Francisco’s statement:
On 29 February 2008, the Court of Appeals (“CA”), 15th Division, will continue with the hearing on the Petition for Writ of Amparo in connection with the police and military’s “Wanted Posters” posted all over the country in the aftermath of the Manila Pen incident on 29 November 2007. The CA-15th Division is composed of Justices Lucenito Tagle, Amelita Tolentino and Agustin Dizon. At the said hearing, the Office of the Solicitor General is expected to submit the verified return of the respondents and cross-examine the petitioners and their two witnesses.
In this regard, the undersigned counsel strongly warns AFP Chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. and responsible officers of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (“ISAFP”) that he will move to have them cited for contempt of court if they do not stop their unlawful interference with the judicial proceedings and processes of the Supreme Court (“SC”) and CA in connection with the ongoing Amparo hearing. Yesterday, 27 February 2008, a certain Capt. Panopio of the ISAFP went to see petitioner PO3 Emelyn Lusterio, PN, and for about half an hour, grilled her on the whereabouts of her husband, former Marine Sergeant Monchito Lusterio, and repeatedly asked her to tell him where they could find her husband or for her to bring them to where he is hiding on the pretext that they wanted to help him.
As a backgrounder, on 19 February 2008, the SC En Banc, acting on the petition filed by petitioners, issued a Writ of Amparo and directed the respondents to make a verified return within 5 days. The SC-En Banc also directed the CA to hear and decide the case with 10 days after its submission for decision.
Petitioner PO3 Emelyn Lusterio, an enlisted personnel of the Philippine Navy, and petitioner Menchita Lusterio, an ambulant vendor, are the wife and mother of Monchito Lusterio, who was honorably discharged in 2005. The respondents are Exec. Sec. Eduardo Ermita, PNP Chief Dir. Avelino Razon, Jr., DILG Sec. Ronaldo Puno, AFP Chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. and Defense Sec. Gilberto Teodoro, Jr.
After the Manila Pen incident, the police and military included Monchito in their “wanted list,” together with 9 other military and former military men. The police and military then launched a manhunt of those in the “wanted list,” including Monchito, who were also placed in “Wanted Posters” that were distributed and are now posted and publicly displayed all over the country. At the top of the “Wanted Poster” is Capt. Nicanor Faeldon whom respondents had announced as having a P1,000,000.00 bounty on his head. Monchito himself has a P100,000.00 bounty on his head. However, except Capt. Faeldon, all of those in the “Wanted Poster” have not been charged with any offense before the DOJ or any court although they were made to appear as fugitives and described as “AT-LARGE.” Also, while Monchito and others in the “Wanted Poster” are already civilians, they were made to appear as still in the active military service and on absence without leave or “AWOL”.
Respondents’ acts of posting “Wanted Posters” all over the country and placing bounties on the heads of persons who are not even charged with any crime before any court or tribunal, are not only barbaric; worse, they are grossly violative of the right to life, liberty and security, to be presumed innocent until the contrary is proved, and to due process of law. Hence, they should be enjoined and declared unlawful. Petitioners are also seeking a Temporary Protection Order or interim reliefs commanding respondents, among others: (a) to cease and desist from using and posting the “Wanted Poster;” and, (b) to cease and desist from continuing with the manhunt of those in the “Wanted Poster” and offering bounties on their heads.
I don’t think contempt of court is enough to scare this gestapo-like general…
I agree with kgg. MS, we can not get any fair trial in any Pidalismo rubber-stamp courts? Buti pa sa people’s court, posibleng maging patas ang hustisya.
Sa hinagap ng HUSTISYA sa Pinas, malabong mangyari ang inaakala ng nakararaming Pinoy na makasuhan ang mga kurap at sinungaling sa ating Bansa.
Our democracy still baby pa, kailangang dumaan tayo sa isang malawakang paglilinis tulad nang nangyari sa US of America, morethan 200-years silang nabuhay sa pakikibaka upang matamo ang kasarinlan sa kamay ng mga naghaharing-uri sa kanilang lipunan.
So, di ba sila ngayon ang modelong bansa, kung ang pag-uusapan ang equality sa pagpataw ng hustisya. I’m not talking about their foreign policy, but my point of view eh ang batas na umiiral sa kanila kaya disiplinado ang mga Kanote unlike sa Pinas ang daming hard headed at walang paki-sa lipunang kanilang ginagalawan.
Dapat 180degree total cleansing ang kinakailangan sa ating Bayan, para mawala na ang mga tisod at pahirap sa ating bayan.
I’m glad to hear that the IBP is now into the movement to demand for the removal of the creep from Malacanang. They should also have the Fat Guy debarred even just for defiling the Constitution in 2001 with the interview with Nick Joaquin as evidence for his culpability for treason and sedition, two serious crimes that will be enough to qualify him for such drastic action.
Glad to hear may matitino pa rin palang mga abogado sa Pilipinas!
The bar associations may as well gather concerned citizens and encourage them to file class suits versus the Malacanang squatters. It’s being done in other countries. It can be done likewise in the Philippines.
Gloria Arroyo ‘peking pangulo’, matatapos din maliligayang araw mo.
Ang samabayan Pilipino ay gising na, pinapaalis ka na sa puwesto
Kasi naman nung EDSA DOS, pinagbigyan ka na ng tao
Pero nung 2004 eleksyon, sa ‘Hello Garci’ mukhang kami’y dinaya mo
Nag-sorry ka pa sa taong bayan, siguro nman naalala mo
Kaya’t kami naman ay tangang umasa na matututo ka na ng todo
Ano naman itong iskandalo sa ZTE deal na naririnig namin sa Senado
Si Abalos at si FG, na asawa mo ang syang pasimuno dito
Si Neri ay nagkuwento, sabi daw ni abalos “Sec may 200 ka dito”
Sinumbong ito sayo ni Neri, sabi mo lang “hayaan mo lang ang mga ito”
Gloria Arroyo, presidente ka ba? Ano ba tong pinagagawa mo?
Ang sabi mo daw ay B-O-T, bakit bigla nangutang ka sa mga Tsino?
Kami lang ay nagmamatyag, nakikinig, gustong malaman ang totoo
Nagpalabas ka ng EO464, Executive Priviledge biglang nauso
May sumabog sa Glorietta, may Impeachment complaint sa Kongreso
Sa Malacanan, ayon kay Gov Panlilio, nagkabigayan ng limang daang libo
Hay naku, kaming mga obrero nanahimik lang na nagtatrabaho
Bakit ang gobyerno mo Gloria, parang tele-nobela, pagkagulo-gulo
Sabi nyo’y destabilization plot, grandstanding at terorismo.
Pero ngayon, malinaw na samin lahat, kayo mismo ang punot dulo nito
Si Joey De Venecia, si Jun Lozada, sa Senado magiting na tumayong testigo
Mga alagad mo Gloria Arroyo, mga paliwanag nila’y buhol-buhol, nakakahelo
Integridad, reputasyon, prinsipyo nyo’y tinalikuran, walang halaga sa inyo
Gagawin ang lahat, “cover-up”, kasinungalingan manatili lamang kayo sa pwesto
Ginang Arroyo kung may natitira ka pang respeto, bumaba ka na sa trono
Nais naming maibalik ang dangal ng aming bayan na niyurakan nyo.
Ang sambayanang Pilipino ay babangon muli at ipagsisigawan sa mundo
“GLORIA-RESIGN”, “GLORIA-RESIGN”, patalsikin ang mga magnanakaw sa gobyerno
Lawyers are not only officers of the court,they are also stewards and wardens of truth and justice…glad that we have some of them…kudos…may your tribe flourish so that truth and justice prevail…it’s not too late…we have still the opportunity to be looked upon as a respected nation…
Be sure kgg. Aysonjv na stewards and wardens of truth and justice ang mga lawyers sa Pinas? Before i will agree with you eh kukutusan ko muna sa noo ang mga BOBA nating abogado na sila ang puno’t dulo ng paghihirap natin ngayon at kabulukan na umiiral sa ating gobyerno.
Kilala mo ba si Davide, Gonzales, Puno, De Vera, Apostol, Santos, Macalintal, Bautista, et al!
Di tayo aabot sa mga problemang ito kung marunong lamang na gumalang ang mga iyan sa ating Saligang Batas?
Well, sa wakas unti-unti na silang namumulat sa katotohanan at NEXT time wag na silang pagagamit at uulit pa sa ginawa nila noong 2001.
Balweg,
Tama ka. Iyan Macalintal na iyan sinusuka iyan ng mga O kaya hanggang ngayon malaki pa rin an problema tungkol doon sa implementation ng OAV law. Tapos ang galing magmanipulate ng mga ungas ng mga OFW for their remittances pero walang palit na magandang serbisyo para sa kanila. Kawawang mga OFW talaga!
Nasabi mo pa kgg. Grizzy, korek ka diyan!
Wala akong bilib sa Macalintal na yan, tuwing magsasalita yan eh talagang kinikilabutan ako at nagsisitaas ang aking balahibo sa braso?
Isama na natin yang matandang Santos, isa pa rin yan sa mga nagkakanlong ng mga corrupt at sinungaling sa ating lipunan.
Siya nga pala, eh nasaan na ba si atty de campanila De Vera, isa rin yang supot di marunong umunawa sa sinasaad ng ating Saligang Batas.
Hay naku kung iisa-isahin natin ang mga PISO-PISO na mga abogado de PISO eh sasakit ang ating mga ulo.
Sayang iyan si Leonard de Vera sa totoo lang. Crush ko iyan noong araw sa totoo lang. Editor ng Collegian when he was a law student at UP. Then, I met him at SFO. Impressed ako dahil akala ko tunay.
Siya kasi ang nag-expose ng garapalan noong namang panahon ni Cory tungkol sa bentahan ng Philippine property sa Stockton na kunyari sequestered property from the Marcoses patrimony pala ng bansa. Ang masama sourgraping lang pala siya dahil hindi siya natapunan ng grasya.
Sinayang niya ang trabaho niya sa Tate sa totoo lang. maganda ang lugar ng opisina niya doon sa mismong Market St. na katabi ng GAP sa Powell, iyong station ng trambia sa downtown SFO.
Ano na nga ang nangyari sa kaniya? Mahirap na siyang makabalik sa trabaho niya sa Tate sa totoo lang. Puede siguro magtinda na lang siya ng mga kaldero gaya noong mga artistang laos na nag-immigrate na sa Tate. 😛
…Oops, Stockton St. na malapit sa Union Sq. sa SFO, not Stockton, CA. Iyong patrimonia ng bansa doon, ibinenta ng dalawang beses para makatobo ang mga ungas. Ang balita pa nga kasabwat iyong kapatid ni Ninoy na adviser ngayon ni Evil Bitch. Ngayon nasaan na perang pinagbentahan doon. Walang transparency maski doon sa property ng Pilipinas sa Roppongi. Bantay sarado kami ngayon doon sa mga hindi pa nabi-BOT na duda ang mga hapon na kasabwat ang China!
taxpayer, ang galing naman ng pagkasulat mo.
salamat.