Check out statement of Atty. Trixie Angeles on this subject in the comments.
by Victor Reyes
Eleven junior officers facing trial in connection with the 2003 Oakwood mutiny yesterday changed their plea to guilty from not guilty to the charge of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.
The change of plea was made at the resumption of court martial proceedings and after a five-minute meeting with AFP chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano.
The officers are Marines Capt. Gary Alejano and Navy Lt. (s.g.) James Layug, two of the core leaders of the Magdalo group that staged the mutiny; Lt. (s.g.) Eugene Gonzales, Andy Torato, and Manuel Cabochan; Captains Francisco Ashley Acedillo and Segundino Urpiano; 1Lt. Billy Pascua; Lt. Arturo Pascua; 2Lt. Jonnel Sanggalang; and, Ensign Armand Pontejos.
Sanggalang married his Canada-based girlfriend Jane Molino about two weeks ago in Camp Crame where he and other officers involved in the November standoff at the Manila Peninsula hotel are detained.
The court called the officers one by one and asked them if they understood the consequences of their action.
The charge of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman (Article of War 96) is punishable with discharge from the service.
The officers said they were neither offered a deal nor intimidated into changing their plea.
The court’s president, Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Legaspi, said the military tribunal will hand out its verdict against the officers in the next hearing. The date has yet to be set.
The move of Alejano’s group brought down to six the number of mutineers facing charges before the court.
The six are Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, another Magdalo core leader who was a Navy lieutenant when the mutiny was staged; fugitive Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, who has escaped twice; 1Lt. Warren Lee Dagupun; and, 2Lt. Alquin Canson, Junnebert Tubo, and Edwin Tuwitao.
Over 300 officers and men were originally charged before the military court. Most of them were discharged after entering into plea bargaining agreement or changing their plea to guilty.
The 11 are part of the original 29 officers – including Trillanes, Faeldon and Dagupon – charged with a single offense of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.
They are facing a coup d’état charge before the Makati City court.
The officers who changed their plea, except Acedillo, were involved in the Trillanes-led standoff at the Manila Peninsula hotel in Makati last November.
Military prosecutor Col. Pedro Herrera Davila said that before the hearing started, Alejano, Layug, Alejano and Urpiano requested to meet with Yano.
Davila said he and the officers’ lawyer, Edgardo Abaya, were also present in the meeting.
“They wanted to say something directly (to the AFP chief). They didn’t want a bridge,” said Davila.
Davila said the officers informed Yano of their plan to change their plea and promised their cooperation with government.
Asked what Yano’s response was, Davila quoted Yano as saying: “That’s good if you want to be helping the government already. I hope you are sincere… I also love the AFP, all of us love the AFP.”
Asked why the accused met with Yano, Abaya said: “The intention of these people was for them to convey the message that they are willing to cooperate and that they want to personally deliver the message that they are changing their plea.”
He added: “They want to do away with the aspect of the court martial so that they can move on individually because they have to face the RTC, so that they can concentrate.”
Mauubos na ang Magdalo, dapat na bang magdiwang, nelbar?
Sino pa kaya ang susunod? Ubos na nga sila, Tongue. Ang galing ni Yano na magpatuloy ng GloriaAsspweron policy!
Ano ngayon ang mangyayari sa charge sa kanila na mutiny/coup?
And we are left now with the remaining martyrs, the six soon to be heroes in the first ever mother of battle in a devastated and torn country.
Tongue, don’t worry. This is a strategic decision for them. All is not lost.
Chi, you asked, “Ano ngayon ang mangyayari sa charge sa kanila na mutiny/coup?”
I understand it will be dropped. That’s part of the plea bargain. That still has to be approved though.
I think they trust Yano enough that he will keep his end of the bargain. I pray they won’t be disappointed.
Sana nga Ellen.
And I pray that the remaining six will soon be vindicated without resorting to plea bargains. Parang masyado nang mura ang bargain. That’s the reason why I salute Capt. Nick Faeldon. Talaga naman na kapag nakipag-bargain kay Gloria, parang inamin na rin na presidente ang Kwin Korap.
Ano nga ba talaga ang kaso ng mga Magdalo? Ang pagkakaalam ko ay sila ang suspect sa pagpatay kay Ferdinand Magellan kaya sila nakulong.
Oo nga Cocoy, sa dami ng kung anu-anong gawa-gawang demanda ang ipinatong sa kanila ay nakakalito na kung ano talaga ang kaso. Hindi malayo na kapag hindi rin nag-plea bargain ang anim pang natitira ay dagdagan pa sila ng kaso ng pagpatay nga kay Magellan. Why not? E moro-moro nga lang ang mga kaso nila pati ang sa Tanay boys.
a ewan! hmp!
akala ko ba walang iwanan…
Nakakatawa tong blog na to….lol
Ellen might as well put IM here just like yahoo messenger with cam instead of just a blog…hehehehe
may tampuhan pa pala dito….heheheheh
langhab,
Tingnan natin kung sino pa ang mang-iiwan sa anim na natitira. Si Kapitan Nick ay malayong mangyari. Buo ang tiwala ko ay Trillanes. Ipagdarasal ko ang apat pa….
Ang “walang iwanan” ay naging ewan ko nga ba!
I don’t know if this is good or not, because I definitely will not succumb to any sweet-talking by the devil no matter what if I were a truly valiant Magdalo.
I can understand, though, their desire now to leave the service under a criminal until perhaps the Filipinos have gained the courage to kick out the Magnificent Cheat and her lackeys from the palace by the murky river like what the South Koreans are presently doing that has prompted ALL the members of the cabinet of President Lee Myung-bak to resign enbanc.
But to allow themselves to even be used as publicity stunt for what I feel this “surrender” is all about only proves what a blogger says about Filipinos—maraming duwag! Tuli nga pero daig ang mga tunay na supot! Yuck!!!
Still, I want to assure Capt. Faeldon if he is lurking here that not all of us are sold to this bargain-bargain—bargain nga ng walang quality. Hindi ka nag-iisa kahit na iniwanan na kayo ni Senator Trillanes ng mga kasama ninyo. Marami pa rin kaming nasa likod ninyo!!! Tuloy ang laban!!!
Kaya pala pag may digmaan, hindi na nanalo ang mga pilipino kung di pa tatakbo sa mga kano! Pwe! Sundalo, puro labas ang tumbong!!!
Taragis, lahat ng mga pilipino yata gusto ni Gloria Dorobo na maging katulad niya, dugong-aso!!!
Why there is a sudden rush of good offer by tiyanak pidal to Magdalo boys that’s very hard for them to resist?
Just imagine a scenario where there are no political/military prisoner and then tiyanak pidal declare Martial Law Marcos style.
Now, just imagine a scenario where there are political/military prisoners in the cell and then tiyanak pidal declare Martial Law. Do you think the remaining Magdalo soldiers will become heroes? Will the remaining Magdalo enhance their standing in the eyes of world?
I will not be surprise if tiyanak pidal will offer an amnesty to Faeldon before they declare Martial Law.
By the way, I rarely proof read what I blog. All that matters is that the readers understand what I meant.
My empty sioktong bottle is telling me that one of the reason why the event of high profile kidnapping and the Magdalo boys guilty plea happened almost simultaneously is to diffuse or lessen any speculations why tiyanak pidals are offering fantastic deals to Magdalo boys.
I’ve read a PDI article about this too, and it said the 11 are only supporting the military organization, but they didnt say if they have the same support for Gloria. At wala pa namang deal according to AFP Chief.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080610-141870/11-junior-officers-in-2003-mutiny-reverse-not-guilty-pleas
I’ve met some of these 11 and I think di dapat sila ika-disappoint. They are better than the Gambala et al previously granted pardon. But of course, those who firmly remain to their stand get my respect.
i suspect they will all be free soon. gma has other pressing problems like rising prices, the peso going down against the dollar and yano maybe is taking more chances against gma? who knows if yano’s group find out that the human rights of those incarcerated were really violated as complained by the wives? gma’s luck is probably dwindling.
norpil,
Yano know very well that GloriaAsspweron violate even the most basic human rights of the Magdalos and the Tanay boys. Hats off to you who like others still see some hope from Yano. Ako, NADA!
Statement:
“When the going gets tough the tough get going” – Sa tagalog matira matibay. Good. Now we can see here the separation of boys from men. Or cowards from the braves. They don’t have the nerve of steel as that of Trillanes and Faeldon. Why do they have to meet with Yano about their decision, in the first place? Malabo yata ‘yan. They LOVE AFP? ‘Di ba love din ni PIGloria ang AFP? Tapat sila sa kanilang oganisasyon. Hindi sa Konstitusyon. Hindi sa Bayan.
“…promised their cooperation with the government” – Ibig sabihin ba kasama na rin silang magiging sunud-sunuran sa mga utos ng illegitimate and corrupt President? Lokohin ninyo ang mga lelong ninyo. Mga hangal.Mga hudas.
Ang isang tunay na militar ay malalim mag-isip at kumilos. A surrender might be an strategic move. Kung ano man iyan ay sila-sila na lang ang nakakaalam. May kasabihan diyan na once a rebel, he will always be a rebel. Nanghuhula lang ako, anong malay ninyo baka may bagong putaheng niluluto ang mga ito. Read their recipe book.
HKOW,you just have to trust me. But I assure you they didn’t sell out. They did not surrender.
Thanks very much Atty Trixie. I appreciate your comments on the remaining Magdalo.
Yano created a probe team to look “deeply” at the complaints of the Tanay boys’ wives of violations of human rights.
One complaint of violations of HR was “the barring the detainees from singing”. Pati basic na kaligayahan na nakukuha sa musica ay bawal. Tangna talaga!
As to Yano’s order, you that already. You don’t have to look “deeply” in order to prolong the injustice being suffered by the ‘rebel soldiers’. Umaksyon ka na kung aaksyon ka. Ang daming taon na ang nasayang sa buhay ng mga sundalong ito na sa halip na nasa tunay na laban ay nakakulong dahil sa kapritso ni Gloriang impakta!
E naging head ka nga ng military kangaroo court trying these courageous men, pwede bang hindi mo alam ang complaints. Huwag ka nang magkunwari na. If you don’t “tolerate human rights abuses committed by anyone in the military”..just do it and release these men!
Ako I don’t blame them…ginawa na nila yun part nila kung mayroon may nagkulang ang tao…kung may gustong pagbabago dapat nagtutulungan.
Ang hirap kasi gagawa ka para sa bayan hindi ka naman ma appreciate ng iba kahit paano nakakababa ng moral…
Capt. Gary Alejano and Navy Lt. (s.g.) James Layug parehong malapit yan kay Sen. Trillanes so tingin ko wala silang naging problema.
Sa tingin ko di naman masama yun timing nila kasi hindi naman si Esperon ang AFP chief ngayon kung hindi sa Yano siguro may tiwala na sila sa bagong AFP chief
Mga kapatid kong Filipinos, the act of opting to cop a plea or not, BY ITSELF, does not have value of significance. It is the vision or the philosophy of the person, that the value of the act being done, increases to a tremendous significance. The act of those who opted not to cop a plea has a high value for us Filipinos because of the reason which is: “DESIRING TO RECLAIM THE FILIPINO NATION FOR THE FILIPINOS FROM THE CLUTCHES OF FALSEHOOD AND CORRUPTION OF ALIEN RULE AND THEIR PUPPET GOVERNMENT.” This vision and philosophy can heat the social blood of our people which has stagnated into passivity in allowing alien rule to siphon our food, our defenses, our national dignity simply because we have lost our identity. We have lost our identity which had a beautiful, dignified, glorious and proud origin. They were kept away from us by the American invaders in the 1900s. They were thrown to the hands of the Chinese invaders in order to weaken us further from resisting those who have been siphoning away our economic resources. This vision which we can see thru those who opted not to cop a plea, can spark a nationalistic fire in our hearts and pave a path for a worth while direction in life. This may have also provided a vision if ever they have not yet have it, to opt for other paths but also leading to that same vision.
Mga kapatid, this is not anymore a time to be sad, to be disappointed or angry. Why, we have a vision! We simply work hard to build it. We simply sacrifice to spread it. We simply forget ourselves to inspire our brother Filipinos around us by it. We simply stand up to remind our brother Filipino soldiers to do the duty of a soldier: DEFEND OUR NATION AGAINST FOREIGN INVADERS, THEIR PUPPET GOVERNMENT AND THEIR COLLABORATORS.
Mga kapatid kong Filipinos, mayron tayong trabajo. Let us spread the news to our brother filipinos about this vision!
Ang problema lang ang AFP at PNP nagpapagamit sa Donya kaya’t malaki ang kasalanan ng mga institusyon sa sambayanang Pilipino. Bakit hinahayaan nilang manatili sa pwesto ang isang tiwaling pamamahala?
Ang unang kasalanan ng AFP at PNP ay ang pagsuporta sa sabwatang nagpatalsik sa halan ng taumbayan noong 2001. Hindi nila sinunod ang sinumpaang tungkuling pangalagaan ang interes ng bayan.
Our dreams will never die!!! Tuloy ang laban!
It was published on Tribune why tiyanak pidal was in a rushed to grant clemency on President Joseph Estrada. The reason was the Ramos men was moving to make a coup and they knew that people will support the Ramos men because of hatred of the people to tiyanak pidal. The only way that Gloria can beat Ramos coup is to free Pres. Estrada so that the people will support Estrada instead of Ramos men. In fact, Estrada don’t even need to ask for pardon because tiyanak pidal will pardon him anyway because of Ramos men trying to make a coup but Estrada didn’t know what was happening during that time. When Estrada asked for pardon it made tiyanak pidal look 6 foot tall.
What is happening now with Magdalo soldiers is very similar with Estrada.
So, why there is a rush to free the Magdalo soldiers? Those 11 Magdalo soldier have their own personal reasons why they took the bait of tiyanak pidal? Now, ask the same question to tiyanak pidal. What are the personal reasons why tiyanak pidal is in a rush to free all Magdalo soldiers? Is tiyanak pidal doing this out of goodness of her heart? nakakalibot isipan na may heart pa si tiyanak.
nakakakilabot na isipin na may heart pa si tiyanak.
meron pa naman sigurong puso si tyanak…yun nga lang, hindi puso ng tao, kundi puso ng saging!
Myrna, mabuti nga yung puso ng saging masarap lutuin na ulam. Itong puso ni tiyanak, lason!