by Lito Banayo
Malaya
“It ain’t over till the fat lady sings”, is a wit’s description of how “boring” operas end. Those who do not appreciate the long arias and have ears only for the operatic highlights often wonder when it would all end.
What this country has had to suffer through the years has been a long and badly sung, badly-scripted, badly-acted opera. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has inflicted her unworthy presence in the life of the nation far too long. First she pushed off the popular troubadour, Joseph Estrada, off the stage, even before the half-way intermission. Then she connived with Garci and Abalos and “her” generals in both the military and the police, in order to keep the klieg lights focused on her bad act for six more years.
It has thus been eight years, four months, and eleven days since she mounted the stage as our prima donna. Before her, no other don or donna except Ferdinand Marcos stayed in power as long. The latter had been president by genuine election for two legal terms. But on his seventh year in office, he declared martial law, and proceeded to rule for another 13 years and 5 months until a mutiny in the ranks of his praetorians, supported by people power, got him and his family packing into Hawaii, courtesy of the United States military.
In all, Ferdinand Marcos was president since December 30, 1965 until February 25, 1986, a total of 20 years, one month and 25 days. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo served out the remaining three years and five months of Erap’s duly-elected term. On December 30, 2002, after a tumultuous reign where even Malacanang Palace was besieged like the Bastille by thousands of the “masa” on May 1, 2001, this daughter of a former president declared before the nation, with the national hero’s monument as mute witness, that she would not seek election for a legal term. Ten months later, in the heartland of her father’s province, in an auditorium built to commemorate a hundred years of inglorious independence, she took back her words.
What followed was not just the infidelity of her spoken word, but worse, the shameless manner by which she ensured her election. All bets were on her table, from government resources to include immoderate proceeds from the allocation of fake fertilizers to unsuspecting farmers (and some suspect, even the conversion of military funds to add to her campaign kitty, cared of the longest-serving military comptroller, Carlos F. Garcia), all the way to the use of military personnel to guarantee the success of the evil plan she and Virgilio Garcillano had conspired to undertake with the concupiscence of Benjamin Abalos.
The last five years of illegitimate power have been as tumultuous as the first three years of usurped reign. Reeling from suspicions that she had tampered with election returns, and nonetheless proclaimed by “noted” cohorts in Congress, Raul Gonzalez for the lower House, and Francis Pangilinan for the upper, her first “elected” term wobbled unsteadily. Then Hello Garci was discovered, clumsily pre-empted by her bumbling press secretary no less (“I have two discs, the left and the right…”), and the veneer of legitimacy was peeled off, despite layers and layers of lying. Lying which even ten of her closest confidantes in the cabinet could not withstand.
She survived the crisis by buying off with tons of money the lower House where impeachment was almost certain, and her governance was hostage ever since to these ever-hungry lacoste’s and every other official with his share of knowledge of other terrible secrets, including l’affaire NBN with ZTE done in stealth “like a thief in the night”. Secrets of stealing and cheating and the lying that covered up for all these became the staple of her political longevity.
When conscientious generals and officers of the uniformed services could stand her evil no longer, they decided to “save the Republic” and “protect the people”, on the 20th anniversary of people power even, but their noble ends were thwarted because of the clumsy mistake of believing that their superiors in the chain of command had similar regard for the virtues taught them in the Academy where they were schooled. Now these officers languish in her jails, and those who thwarted their noble ends are rewarded no end by a grateful prima donna to the highest posts in the military service, and beyond, to cabinet rank in the civilian bureaucracy.
To consolidate her power over the uniformed ranks, she got her chief bodyguard, one “highly” regarded by Garci because of his willingness to “follow” orders no matter if unlawful in the elections of 2004, to become her operational commander of the soldiers of the Republic. But age and tradition caught up on Hermogenes Esperon, now the Chief of the Presidential Management Staff where all papers that lead to the sanctum sanctorum of Malacanang undergo what former President FVR called “complete staff work”. Soon he will be the Secretary of National Defense, after a gullible Gilbert Teodoro is inveigled into running for a presidency where defeat is certain.
But retiring Esperon did not come easy. There were the Classes of ’75, and ’76, and ’77, cavaliers in the Academy, of whose utmost and unquestioning loyalty she was uncertain. So, with Esperon always on the watch, she reluctantly gave way to the appointment of Alexander Yano of the Class of ’76. But as ’78 was closest to her heart, being their honorary classmate, their idol, their patroness, she quietly placed them in strategic positions in the interstices of the military echelon. Likely because Yano showed signs of being “independent”, a quality anathema in the bowels of the stinking palace beside the stinking river, she cut short his term, and sent him packing to the holy wilds of Brunei where his favourite cognac could not publicly be imbibed, as an insignificant ambassador. Insulting him to the last, she rewarded his deputy, Cardozo Luna of ’75, with the more glamorous retirement job of ambassador to The Hague, an hour away from the sinful pleasures of Amsterdam.
That gave her opportunity to make her other classmate, once her favourite bodyguard as well, Delfin Bangit, to be the chief of staff. But Esperon cautioned her from jumping that fast, and bade her to appoint Army chief Victor Ibrado of the Class of ’76, lest she roil the troubled waters of the military any further than it should. Yet, appointing Ibrado as chief of staff made the appointment of Del Bangit seamlessly pass. The Army, after all, is 75% of all the armed forces.
Recall likewise that I wrote in this space months ago about a meeting where Jess Versoza, PNP Chief by the grace of Herr Ronaldo Puno, was ushered into the regal presence at the stinking palace. To his surprise, with the prima donna was Roberto Rosales of the favourite Class of ’78, then WPD Chief. Right then and there, Versoza was directed to yank out Leopoldo Bataoil and replace him with her Boysie Rosales as Chief of the NCR Police. Versoza had to invent an effete position for the accomplished Bataoil somewhere in the wilds of the North, just to please the dona and install Boysie. And Boysie showed his unswerving loyalty right off, with the highhanded tactics against “enemy” Ted Failon in the recent crisis of his life.
Versoza, it is certain, will be made to retire early, a year or so before his 56th birthday on Christmas of 2010, and if he accepts, be posted in where else but the wilds of euro-Russia, as ambassador in charge of its freezing steppes. By then too, likely before the appointed date, Ibrado shall be on the exit, and Bangit shall be “emperor” of the Armed Forces, with Boysie Rosales his ‘rasputin” in the PNP. Over and above them all, of course will be the Tsarina, la Prima Donna de Lubao y Binalonan, Iligan y Kabankalan, their classmate in the Class of ‘78.
But what if the Class of ’76, and the remnants of ’75, as well as the hold-outs of ’77, feel they had been shafted from the behind?
Well, they have been royally screwed already, because as I wrote earlier in this piece, the Class of ’78 is all over the woodwork, and how!
The following are 22 Class ’78 members occupying sensitive posts within the AFP:
In GHQ, Camp Aguinaldo:
J2 (Inteligence) – Rear Adm. Victor Martir (PN – Philippine Navy)
Deputy J2 – Commodore EfrenTedor (PN)
J3 (Operations)- Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza (PA – Philippine Army)
J6 (Commel) – Maj. Gen. Jonathan Martir (PM – Philippine Marines)
J7 (Civil-Military Relations) – Maj. Gen. Sealana (PA)
DND-BAC Chairman – Brig. Gen. Gregorio Paduganan (PAF – Philippine Air Force)
Chief of Engineers – Maj. Gen. Rudyval Cabading (PA)
ISAFP – Maj. Gen. Romeo Prestoza (PAF)
Presidential Security Group – Brig. Gen. Celedonio Boquiren (PAF)
In the Army, six out of 10 infantry divisions are under the control of the Class of ’78 members), namely:
Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit – Commanding General of the Philippine Army
Maj. Gen. Roland Detabali – CG, Southern Luzon Command
Maj. Gen. Romeo Lustecteca – CG, 1st Infantry Division (Zamboanga del Norte)
Brig. Gen Florante Martinez – OIC, 2nd Infantry Division (Tanay, Rizal)
Maj. Gen. Vic Porto – CG, 3rd Infantry Division (Panay Island)
Maj. Gen. Ralph Villanueva – CG, 7th Infantry Division (Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija)
Maj. Gen. Manuel Tabaquero – CG, 8th Infantry Division (Catbalogan, Samar)
Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu – CG, 10th Infantry Division (Caraga Region)
In the Air Force, there is Maj. Gen. Oscar Rabena as Commanding General, and Brig. Gen Jesus Fajardo – CG, 710th Special Operations Wing as well as Col. Carlix Donila – Commander, 530th Air Base Wing (Zamboanga).
And in the Navy, the chief of the Naval Staff, Commodore Feliciano Angue, as well as heading the most strategically-located naval station in Cavite is Commodore Nestor Los Banes.
Go figure. The little lady has carefully chosen every actor, every extra, even the props, the lights and the sound system (J-6, Commel).
The “fat” little lady will never croak her last song. Like Marcos, she “does not intend to die”.
Get your long stored disc, even phonograph, of Handel’s Messiah. “For (she) shall reign, forever and ever…Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Halleluyah! Haaa-lehhhh-lu-yaaahhh!
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Postscript from history: In 1972, Ferdinand Marcos assembled twelve of his loyalists, mostly generals, but including a crony-politician and a cabinet member. He gave them copies of his “Oplan” to declare martial rule. One of them got Oplan Sagittarius, and he supposedly leaked the same to a rising political star who happened to be the cousin-in-law of the crony politician. But Sagittarius was coded, and the infidel general soon died. Soon after, the rising political star was incarcerated.
Fast-forward to 1985, by which time Marcos had consolidated his hold over the entire polity through his KBL, the entire military through his Fabian Ver, and society even, through cronies who had parcelled out the nation’s wealth among themselves. Like a bolt from out of the blue, the dictator called for snap elections, and the frail widow of the by now-assassinated political star challenged his might. After Congress proclaimed Marcos notwithstanding cheating, stealing and lying, two of his original 1972 apostles declared a mutiny on February 22, 1986. The apparatus of hegemony broke like Humpty Dumpty. Sooner than later, the long-laid plans of mice and men unravelled, and Marcos boarded a helicopter for Hawaii.
There are no military bases now that the US of A then held dear, and the man at the White House is no longer a friendly like Ronald Reagan but a distant Barack Obama. But then again, these benighted islands are just specks in the Pacific, as far as Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon are now concerned.
Will Ferdinand’s reincarnation in little Gloria succeed? Will history be allowed to repeat itself in this “patria adorada”? Go figure.
Excellent summary of history and history in the making!
What a magistral piece, Ellen!
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Anna, I forgot to put Lito Banayo’s byline last night when I posted it time-stamped.
It’s not my article. Ellen
Will Ferdinand’s reincarnation in little Gloria succeed? –
I pray not, the unana Gloria is just a poor copy cat of Ferdinand. As we know, ang mangongopya ay masahol pa sa kinukopyahan lalo na at likas na cheat/magnanakaw!
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall — think of it, ALWAYS.” Mahatma Gandhi
Super ganda ng narrative mo, Ellen…kaya lang ay nakakapangilabot lalo na at enumerated ang PMA class 78, Gloria’s circle of trust and panakots!
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Sorry, Chi, It’s not my article. It’s Lito Banayo’s. I forgot to put his byline last night. I was so tired and I left early this morning for a court martial coverage. Ellen
The “fat” little lady will never croak her last song. Like Marcos, she “does not intend to die”.
But who wants to Live Forever? And just like Marcos she will be remembered most for her Sins than whatever little goodness there was and She Will Die…
gloria ang galing mo!
pagkatapos ng mahabang pagtatago ng maitim nilang balakin, pagkatapos ng sandamakmak na kasinungalingan ng mga gloria spokepersons ay heto ngayon si siraul goonzales na nagpahayag na posibleng tumakbo so gloria sa kongreso at hindi naman bawal sa saligang batas….
ang galing ng mga hinayupak…tagal nilang deny to death ngayon heto puede daw at maaring tumakbo bilang kawatan este kinatawan ng pampanga.
ang mga class 78 pmaers galing din ng pagkakapuwesto kung sakaling sumablay at matalo sila sa 2010 elections, at heto pa ang winning bidder consortium ay partners ang mga aboitiz na isa ring crony ng mga arroyo…malinis at mabilis nga ang eleksiyon sa 2010 dahil mas magaling sila ngayon computerized cheating.
ang tibay ng sikmura ng mga kawatan este kinatawan at pinilit ang con-ass, at pipiliting nila ang pagsulong ng charter change para maging parliamentary form of govt ang pinas kung hindi sa 2010 ay isasalang sa 2013…galing ng mga walanghiya!
siyempre ang makikinabang ang arroyo dynasty at mga kapanalig ng malacanang mafia at arroyo corrupt-poration.
sa 2010 election daming alipores ni gloria tatakbo sa local position, razon, lomibao, angie reyes, esperon at marami pang iba…na nagpapatunay lamang ng pagiging ganid nilasa kuwarta at kapangyarihan.
kampante sila kasi alam nila na hilaw ang pagkilos ng masa, nakakalungkot dahil hindi ganun karami ang sumama sa rally, yung iba umuwi pa ng maaga para di maipit sa trapik, yung iba wala na talagang pakialam sa bayan.
hindi alam ng masa na sa bawat pagkilos ng malacanang mafia at arroyo corrupt-poration ay daang milyong piso at kung hindi man ay bilyones ang kailanagan para masawata nila ang anumang pagkilos ng masa…bilyong piso na galing sa kaban ng bayan at bilyong piso na ang masang pilipino rin ang magbabayad sa kaululan ni gloria at alipores.
NO to trapos sa 2010, ipakita natin na walang lulusot sa mga kinatawang kawatan at mga alipores ni gloria!
daming pulis at heneral na kinain ng pulitika ni gloria, hindi naman masama ang pulitika kung pagsisilbi sa bayan ang tunay na hangarin…pero sa tulad nina esperon, razon, lomibao etc. na ginagamit ang puwesto at pera ng masa para makasiguro ng panalo sa local position…napakawalanghiya!
NO to trapos sa 2010!
NO to gloria at alipores!
NO to kingpin pidal malacanang mafia at arroyo corrupt-poration!
kilos bayan, habang may panahon pa…di dapat patulog-tulog ang mga kalaban organisado at planado lahat ng kilos manatili lang sa puwesto.
Gloria maawa ka naman sa bansang hikahos sa hirap at kuba na sa pahirap na dala mo!
Don’t be too sure about her feeling invincible. Sooner or later, someone within her inner circle will do an Enrile and a Ramos on her. Marcos then thought he is so powerful that no one can topple him from the presidency. And no one thought too that someone as powerful as Marcos with the whole AFP behind him that we will loose his reign. Nothing is permanent in this world.
It was also Class ’78 who worked on Mancao and Dumlao. They pressured the two former Ping boys to turnaround and accuse their former boss. I was told that they were offered by the ’78 boys packages that were too lucrative and hard to refuse.
Mancao at Dumlao ay bumigay din, medyo mahihinang klase, kung sabagay mga pulis kasi kaya pwede ka ibenta kahit na amo basta ba sila ay mabiyayaan.
Kaya bagyo ang Class ’78 ngayon, sila ang mga alipores ni Evil Bitch dahil sila ay mga “mistah”.
Weather weather lang yan!
Ellen,
Magandang pagbabalik tanaw sa nakaraan. Kaya lang may nakalimutan kang sabihin. Si Marcos hanggang sa huling sandali ng Feb 86 people power ay ipinakita niyang mahal pa rin niya ang Pilipinas at mga Pilipino. Hindi siya nakinig sa udyok ni Ver na bombahin ang mga tao sa EDSA.
Si bulilit Arroyo. walang pakialam kahit sino ang madamay at kahit gaanong kasakim ang udyok sa kanya. Ang mahalaga lamang ay manatili siya sa puder ng kapangyarihan.
Ito mas nakakatakot. ilang libo kayang Pilipino ang mamamatay? Sana lang may maglakas ng loob (militar o taga malakanyang) na patayin na muna siya bago siya makapagutos na patayin ang lahat ng hadlang sa mga kabulukan niya at pagtatraydor sa 90 milliong Pilipino.
PMA Class ’78!
Power of evil!
Puro kayo SUPOT!
Only in this administration where the shit’s survival counts almost half of a certain batch in the academy were promoted to generals and appointed to sensitive positions.
Will Ferdinand’s reincarnation in little Gloria succeed? Will history be allowed to repeat itself in this “patria adorada”? Go figure.
It’s really too early to tell as we are in a nation where one issue suddenly perishes after a new issue comes in.
sure thing is- she’s trying to take any legal means (maybe doing illegal things to make them legal) to stay in power.
MGen Juancho Sabban is also a PMA Class ’78.
Kaya pala medyo tahimik.
Solo flight?
“Will Ferdinand’s reincarnation in little Gloria succeed? Will history be allowed to repeat itself in this ‘patria adorada’? Go figure.” –
I’ve figured this way before. My answer is YES, history will be allowed to repeat itself, although in a manner less of the Marcosian finesse and originality. Gloria will always be short.
But remember, too, what history has in store for tyrants, and plunderers. That will be the same storyline that this latest telenovela will go down with in the end. People will triumph.
Then the vicious cycle just repeats itself later because people do not learn from history.
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Tongue, this is Lito Banayo’s article. Ellen
“ang pagibig pag pumasok sa puso nino man, hamakin ang lahat masunod ka lamang”..for gloria it is her love for money and power…but as we know there is an end to everything..tao lang siya and there is no forever for her..her world and kingdom will end soon..malapit na!
this is ellen at her best, i have to print it out. history repeats itself but mccoy and gma are just a couple of generations apart.a lot of people still remember how it is to live under martial law.i think they will not allow it.
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Sorry, Norpil, this is Lito Banayo’s article. I forgot to put his byline when I posted it time-stamped last night.
Oh, I’m sorry, I was so tired when I posted this article last night and I left very early for coverage of court martial hearing of Lt. Artemio Raymundo, who has been in detention for more than two years for sharing DVDs of Erap biopic.
I forgot to give Lito Banayo’s byline.
I’m so sorry.
Ms Tordesillas,
This is very inspired writing, indeed. While I am tempted to comment on the opinion put forth here, I would say that substance must give way to the literary form this time.
Congratulations!
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Ka Enchong, this is Lito Banayo’s article. Sorry, I forgot to put his byline last night. I was to tired coming from the rally. Ellen
People of Ellenville:
Busy pa si Ate Ellen kaya ako na lang muna ang magsasabi nito.
I think the above article is written by Lito Banayo of Malaya.
Aayyy, nandiyan na pala.
Puro kayo supot?
Well, Habib…ibig sabihin wala silang guts to lead their ranks, kasi nga…puro vested interest ang laman ng mga kukote ng class ’78.
Hay naku mga kgg. na Kawal e bakit kayo papayag sa mga supot na yan, sino sila to dictate you…dapat turuan nýo yan ng leksyon ng matauhan.
Ang bala e walang pinipiling tamaan, e ka nga pagputok ng gatilyo e for sure erase sa mundong ibabaw…so wag kayong pasindak sa mga pasaway na yan.
Malakas lang ang loob ng mga iyan, dahil sa inyo mga kgg. na Kawal…please naman, wag kayong papayag pag kagaguhan ang kanilang ipag-uutos sa inyo.
Follows the order kung para sa ikabubuti ng bayan at taong-bayan ok.
as they say “all it took for evil men to triumph is for good men to do nothing”.
Putang inang mga heneral na ipinagbili ang kaluluwa sa reyna ng impiyerno!
Kakapal ng mga mukha ninyo!
Hindi kayo marunong mahiya!
Kung umasta kayo parang inyo na ang buong Pilipinas, ah? Ilan ba sa inyo ang sumusugod sa kalaban kahit noong mga tinyente pa kayo? Hindi ba’t dahil sa inyong mga tauhang tinitingala ang pagiging opisyal ninyo kaya nagbagsakan ang mga araw sa balikat ninyo? Ang mga bituing pangarap ninyo?
Bakit ngayon ay ipinagpalit ninyo ang sakripisyo ng inyong mga naging tauhan upang magkaroon ng katuparan ang inaasam ninyong mga posisyon na mailap sa iba?
Dahil ba sa salapi? Sa yamang pangako sa inyo ng PINAKAWALANGHIYANG BABAENG sumulpot sa ibabaw ng lupa?
Paano ninyo ipinagsisinungaling sa harap ng inyong mga anak na kayo ay hindi na ‘yung dating kayo na mga opisyal na ang prinsipyo’t paninindigan ay buong giting ninyong tinatayuan sa harap ng anumang lakas na magtatangkang lapastanganin ang inyong sinumpaang tungkulin lalo’t higit ang kapakanan ng mamamayang (inyong sinumpaang) ipagsasanggalang?
Rose, ganito dapat ‘yan:
“O, pagkagahaman kapag namayani sa buktot na kaisipan, wawasakin lahat makamit lamang ang walang hanggang pagtatampisaw sa kapangyarihan at pagtatamasa ng nakaw na yaman”.
Swak na swak ‘yan sa pinakaganid na pamilyang namamahay sa malakanyang gayundin ang mga kapanalig nilang ang pinananaig ay ang pagsamba sa lahat ng materyal na bagay sukdulang ipagkanulo ang tiwala ng mga mamamayan.
Ms Tordesillas,
Okey lang po ‘yun. I half-guessed that it was Mr. Banayo’s article I was reading because of the style. Your style had always been quite straight to the point, more journalistic than literary. Akala ko po, you started experimenting on another style.
Salamat po.
Only Col. Ariel Querubin of Class ’78 is with honor and integrity for me! The rest? Mga putang ina nilang mga sugapa at garapal! Bagay sila ng Mistah nilang si Gloria the Bitch!
pano na si gen sabban na 78 din?heto kandidato sa pag komandante ng marines- tsugi ba sya@panay alipores pala mga mistah nya?
Si Querubin ay hindi siya sa Batch 78, Sabban is.
Well,they are morons for protecting a puppet government.
Querubin and Sabban were Mistahs and were original ’78 but I think they finished ’79.
They used to be inseparable.
thanks Ellen for the correction.
Andres,
Eto yong complete list ng mga batch 78 .. cut & paste mo na lang …
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:r5Fn9ztUkvAJ:www.koolnet.com/pmafiles/rollcall.htm+juancho+sabban&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
as i believe,, blood will have to be spill, to have the evil bitch push out and face the music,if not were just like playing a music to a deaf person….sabi nga nila manhid na sila….they know the weakness of us pilipino…a peaceful people power??????????????? think again,,, nabenta na yan,,,,,they have it all figure that out long before,they know the solution………..
people power wont work this time,, we have tried that time and time again… will not work anymore>>>>>>>>>gamit na gamit na……….somebody write a new script….we need it badly,,,,the script should contain sacrifice,,,blood,,, i think that is only way to wake up the people this time… well easier said than done…sight………….
If I remember right, the charge is for disrespect of an officer? Showing Erap’s biopic is a disrespect of Glue?
I mentioned earlier that there can be a basis for a motion to dismiss or a petition for writ of prohibition on two grounds:
The President is not a military officer. The President’s being the commander-in-chief is in compliance with the Constitutional mandate that civilian authority prevails over the military. So, a civilian, the President (I mean the office, not Glue, kaya capitalized) is made the commander-in-chief; the highest military officer is subordinate to the civilian.
So kulang ng element ang offense. Even if you hypothetically admit the truth of the allegations, that Raymundo wanted to show disrespect to Glue, this is not a military offense, so the court has no jurisdiction.
The other ground is the fact that speech is being punished. No law (including military law) may be passed abridging the freedom of speech. The military jurisprudence on this matter is US v. Wilcox. Download the pdf here:
http://www.armfor.uscourts.gov/opinions/2008Term/05-0159.pdf
In general, you can find jurisprudence of the court of appeals for the armed forces here:
http://www.armfor.uscourts.gov/ConsolidatedDigestOutline.htm
US military precedents have been quoted with favor by the Philippine Supreme Court since Ramon Ruffy v. Chief of Staff (1946) and Ferdinand Marcos v Chief of Staff (1951). The Philippine Supreme Court quoted Winthrop’s military precedents, which is a compilation of precedents until, I believe, 1920. There is certainly good basis to quote more recent US military jurisprudence.
(Senator Biazon, Lacson and Trillanes: How about a bill on the creation of a court of appeals for the military? Said court is independent of the harm forces, so cannot be manipulated by the brass.)
What about Gringo? Tell him to go to hell.
Another point on freedom of speech. Raymundo was merely passing the DVD’s of Erap. Raymundo had not even seen the DVD yet. So he cannot be presumed to be one with the intent of the DVD “to malign Glue” because he had no knowledge of the intent. So there is an element missing – there is no mens rea.
An act without intent is not an offense. For instance, if I take your bag thinking it is mine, because it looks like mine, there can be no crime. There is only, if at all, an ethical offense, meriting a “Sorry akala ko akin.”
Curtailment of the passing of the DVD is also an indirect curtailment of the freedom of speech of the producer of the DVD. What one cannot do directly, cannot be done indirectly. In this regard, Bartnicki v. Vopper stated:
Dalhin na sa Court of Appeals yan or Supreme Court, on a petition for a writ of amparo. HIndi tabla ang laro kung kanila ang referee.
SnV, the case is already in the Court of Appeals. Ang tagal na nga e.
Aside from “Disrespect of an Officer”, Raymundo is also charged with all-encompassing “Conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman.”
This morning,the law member, Col Loy (yes the same Loy who is head of the prosecution team in the mutiny case of the 28 officers related to the February 2006 incident) asked the investigating officer,Maj. Nabutel what particular violation was he investigating Raymundo.
Nabutel said at that time he was investigating, he didn’t know what was the violation.
He also said his authority to investigate came from the Commanding Officer of the Combat Service Support Brigade – CSSB who was at that time Col. Jonathan Martir.
Querubin and Martir originally both belonged to Class ’78 but both were turned back so they graduated with Class ’79.
Querubin, I’m told was caught with a whisky in his room on his birthday.
Martir, I was told, had problems with his Spanish subject.
Two more of Class ’78 who were turned back are Maj. General Gaudencio Pangilinan and Rear Admiral Alex Pama.
Ellen – Two more of Class ‘78 who were turned back are Maj. Generals Gaudencio Pangilinan and Alex Mapa
It is Rear Admiral Alexander Pama AFP.
Ariel was caught with gin (Ginebra San Miguel cuatro cantos)not whisky, mahal yon.
Ellen – He also said his authority to investigate came from the commander of the Marine Communication Services who was at that time Col. Jonathan Martir.
Major Nabutel is in the Field Artillery Battalion under Col now MGen(?) Martir the Commanding Officer of the Combat Service Support Brigade – CSSB.
If the CA has not decided yet, one can file a petition for mandamus before the Supreme Court; lalo na kung habeas ang pending, because habeas has priority over all cases. A petiton for mandamus only asks the higher court to order the lower court to decide – not to decide one way or another. Kung talo, fine, bring the merits up to the Supreme Court.
Ang problema, baka inupuan, so that Raymundo stays in jail, and so that the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction cannot be invoked; forum shopping na if one files another habeas petition. But mandamus will force the CA to decide; that is what is needed, because win or lose, it is benenficial to Raymundo. If win, obvious; if lose, then it yields basis to go to the SC.
Sino ba ang panel?
Ito lang ang masasabi ko…
Tama si SRCITIZEN2000…
Glory Aroyoko ay handang isakrispisyo ang buhay ng mamamayang Pilipino manatili lang puwesto.
Kung hindi nagawa ni Marcos na tanggapin ang suggestion ni Ver, kay Glory Aroyoko siguradong gagawin niyang ipapatay ang kahit sinong hahadlang sa kanya dahil sanay na siyang makitang namamatay sa hirap, gutom ang mamamayang Pilipino.
Nakita naman ninyo kung ano ang tingin niya sa mga OFW, hindi tao ang tingin niya sa mga Pilipino, ang tingin ni Glory Aroyoko sa mga Pilipino ay isang produktong pang export at hindi taong may damdamin at mga pamilyang nasisira dahil sa patuloy niyang pag-e-export ng mga taong made in the Philippines…..
Ang Pinoy, mas gusto pang mag-shopping na lang sa mga mall kaysa magpakita ng pagpahayag ng kanilang damdamin ng pagtutol…
Ang masakit iyong mga Pilipinong tumututol ay napapasama sa kahirapan dahil sa pagwawalang kibo at pananahimik ng nakakarami…
Ano ang dapat gawin sa mga nanahimik na mga Pinoy na nagiging dahilan na pati iyong mga tumututol ay nadadawit sa kanilang pananahimik?
Nagtatanong lang po..
Kaya nananatili sa kapangyarihan si Glory Aroyoko ay dahil sa mga Pinoy na walang paki-alam, walang kibo at nananahimik.
Hindi kasalanan ni Glory Aroyoko ang pananatili sa kapangyarihan ito ay kasalanan ng mga Pinoy na mas gustong mag-shopping sa mall at magpasarap sa mga resort at nagtatago sa mga internet cafe…
Kaya dapat ang mga Pinoy na tutulog tulog ang ating kinakalampag at hindi ang mga alipores ni Glory Aroyoko dahil bingi na ang mga iyan sa mga salaping milyones na nakatakip na sa kanilang mga mata, tenga at bibig.
Sana ay makarma na si Gloria Arroyo at mga kampon na tiwaling mga heneral
Pangilinan and Pama would have never made it to star rank in the military I know here — NEVER! They would have retired with the rank of major at the very best.
I know them and I know their so-called “qualifications.”
Presidential Security Group – Brig. Gen. Celedonio Boquiren (PAF) is Boygee’s best friend.
If I’m not mistaken, up to 10 years ago, there were only 28 AFP officers with 1 star rank… yet today, Lito Banayo has counted 22 star rank officers from 1 class alone. Does that mean the AFP has exceeded the number of star rank officers provided for by law?
Give or take a difference of one or two slots (maybe even 3), the star rank slots provided for by law in RP until 10 years ago were the following for an officer-troop population of roughly 124,000:
General (4-star): 1
Lieutenant General incuding Vice-Admiral (3-star): 6
Major General (2 star rank): 7 – 10
Brigadier General including Commodore (1-star): 95
Would be good to find out how many slots were created to provide for more star ranks for the same size of armed forces.
I do know that chief of J-Staff (AFP) have now been awarded with/promoted to 2 star ranks systematically when up to about 10 years ago, the J-Staff chiefs only held 1 star; idem for vice-commander position of major services which were given 2 stars instead of the traditional 1 star up until then.
Ooops, “idem for vice-commander position of major services which ARE NOW given 2 stars instead of the traditional 1 star up until then.”
Aha! Col.Ariel was caught with gin, tunay na lalaki!
Martir was turned back dahil bagsak sa Spanish. Bobo dela Yuca pala talaga itong si Joanna kaya hanggang sepsep na lang ang beauty n’ya!
The AFP has never been so corrupted and politicized in our history like it has been right now under the regime of Gloria the Evil Bitch!
Sana naman may maglakas loob upang baguhin itong imahe ng militar na tagapagtanggol ng tiwaling pamamahala ni Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Nawala na ang rispeto ko sa mga sundalo lalo na sa mga pulis!
Andres,
How right you are.
During the time of Marcos, the military was also politicised but they were disciplined and they fought a full blast war — the war in Mindanao. Unlike Gloria’s military today. Not the fault of the foot soldiers but the members of Gloria’s military lackeys.
Moreover, they never sold out to the Malaysians, unlike Esperon and his lackeys.
Gloria has so diminished military professionalism in the AFP that it will take a generation to undo the mess she created…
What a waste precious ration that lil manipulating pandak truly is!!!
Bumagsak si Martir because he was asked to describe himself in Spanish. Sabi niya.
Yo soy una mujer.
“Yo soy una mujer.”
Hehehe!
Ay! Atcheng nga ang bruha.
Si Gaudencio Pangilinan, major general na rin?
Inakupung maawain!
Ano na ba ang nangyayari?
Puro istars na ba ang buong Almed Forces of the Pidals? Aba’y kung ganyan, sino ang magiging private na lang? ‘Yung mga kambing at asong pampulutan?
Wala na proportion ang allocation ng flag officers natin sa hukbo. Tinalo pa ang super powers tulad ng Amerika at namumuong lakas ng China kung saan milyon ang bilang ng kanilang mga kawal.
Mahihina din ang kukote nitong mga robot generals ni gunano, eh. Huwag lamang masabing napo-promote sila kahit magmukhang engot sige lang na hindi iniisip ay mas marami pa sila sa mga bagong recuit na private.
They don’t mind acting like a toy on the palms of gloria arrovo.
BGen Danny Lin is USMA 78, also considered as PMA ’78. Pero like Col Ariel Querubin (former ’78) and MGen Sabban ’78, sila na lang yata ang hindi pa hawak sa leeg ni nunal.
Marami pang PMA’78 na nakaupo sa strategic positions sa PNP na hindi na nabanggit ni Lito Banayo.
“Puro istars na ba ang buong Almed Forces of the Pidals? ”
There are more stars in the AFP than in the skies!
Tama ka , Enciong. Napansin ko yung mga Police Generals hindi nakalista kay Banayo. Si Boogie Mendoza, yung anti-terrorism “expert” na walang pinagka-ekspertuhan. Pati si Paul Mascari±as na kasama sa “kidnappers” ni Jun Lozada, ’78 din nga pala.
The Harm Forces of the Philippines has 144 generals on the payroll, but the budget only allows 133.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/162040/Explain-discrepancy-in-number-of-generals-and-budget-for-them-DND-chief-told
There are 113,500 in active duty; that is one general for every 788 subordinates (wikipedia).
The US active strength is 1,454,515, with 873 generals, making that one general for every 1,666 (wikipedia). A US general, therefore, has more than twice the number of men per general.
What’s that American expression again? Too many chiefs, very few Indians.
Aha!
I knew it… They’ve jacked up not only the number of 2-star ranks but also promoted the undesserving; they’ve literally gone overboard.
I wrote a post about this more than 3 years ago detailing the numbers of officers for each rank authorised by law, i.e., as appropriated for by Congress.
The numbers of military officers’ positions in the AFP are limited by the structural or staffing budget imposed by Congress – these positions are covered by and within the Republic of the Philippines general appropriations bill that systematically goes through Congress year in and year out.
The number of senior or star rank positions is thus officially restricted by Congress. This is perhaps one of the major reasons why there is jockeying, political and otherwise, for positions and even for promotions (promotions are normally given on merit), almost from the moment a military officer reaches the rank of Lieutenant Colonel thereby making even a more honorable officer vulnerable in the extreme to the dictates of a politician, let alone of the highest elected official the land.
The practice of horse trading among top brass in the military is rampant (beginning with the Board of Generals), particularly when a field command assignment, no matter how short the stint, is the ultimate requirement for an officer to be promoted to a higher command.
Number of military officer positions in the Armed Forces of the Philippines until 10 years ago.
But in 2001 or after Gloria assumed power (when Gen Benjamin P Defensor was CSAFP) the AFP “converted” the J-staff chiefs and vice commander major services posts to 2 star rank — which was a 1-star rank position until then, thereby increasing the number of major generals.
So, what do you do in order to fill the 1-star slots? You promote your friends and even the undeserving colonels who should have been attrited (retired, dismissed from servicce or military attrition) because there’s no real possibility of advancement after 10 years in the same rank.
I’ve seen this happen in the AFP a few times.
So AdeBrux, with your presentation of the promotion practice today, is this is what the official line of the AFP top brass means by, they are more professional and apolitical now?
During my years in the military service, there were joint staff officers who held the rank of colonel and it is astonishing to learn that after less than thirty years, in this very questionable administration under a scandal riddled leader, we have almost more that two company sized number of generals. It’s amazingly unbelievable and horribly unacceptable.
Imagine how this administration wastes taxpayers money allocating salaries to these generals who know nothing, do nothing and think nothing? Just scratching their empty balls?
‘…….we have almost more THAN two company sized number of generals.”
Madadagdagan pa po itong hanay ng 1-star and 2-stars sa AFP. Just wait. May niluluto pa sa ngayon.
They (the officers tasked to study the need to increase the number of star-ranked officers in the AFP’s Table of Organization) did the increasing purposely because they themselves would directly benefit from increased pensions after they retire. Kesihoda na ang budget allocation! Ask Angelo Reyes!
saxnviolins: “Bumagsak si Martir because he was asked to describe himself in Spanish. …Yo soy una mujer.”
Yung academy ay unfair kasi si Martir ay nag sabi lang naman nang totoo.
Kaya hindi manalo ang mga sundalo sa labanan. Mas marami kasi ang mga heneral keysa sa sundalo. And not even one general is deserving of his stars.
Ang mga heneral natin noong araw ay ipinaglaban ang DEMOkrasiya. Ang mga heneral natin ngayon ay ipinag-lalaban ang DEMONyita.
Mga ginoo, SnV at JM,
Kailan ba naging tama ang maling totoo?
‘Yan ang maling katotohanang bumabalot sa pagkatao ng isa sa pinakaduwag at walang kahihiyang opisyal ng hukbo.
Habib…remember mo pa ba yong scandal sa Korea about Korean military officers fired over Recto degrees
Manila Standard 2 November 2007 | 11:00 PM
source: http://www.yehey.com/news/article.aspx?id=187106
South Korea’s fake degree scandal has spread to the military, with 13 army officers sacked and prosecuted for faking Filipino university degrees…
Ano sa palagay mo…di ba excess baggage yong 14 general problems na idinagdag sa existing numbers of Generals. Di kaya galing din ng recto yang order na yan?
Kasi nga by the book e illegal ang kanilang promotion…kita mo sa Korea ang laking iskandalo nito? Sa Pinas e kapal-mukz, wala lang sa mga tonto, kaya maghuremintando na lang ang taong-bayan sa inis…wala tayong mapapala sa mga pasaway na yan.
José Miguel,
“is this is what the official line of the AFP top brass means by, they are more professional and apolitical now?”
Afraid I don’t know the answer to your question. Better ask Brawner or Pangilinan or why not, Gloria herself.
To the Chief of Staff, AFP, any soldier of the AFP or the assumed presisdent reading this post:
In reference to comment# 63 June 13, 2009 7:48 am of AdeBrux, this post, I would like to know from you if those are true or not. Can you present an actual list? If not true, is the actual present list with corresponding ranks within the approved budget of Congress? If not true, what is the purpose of such list and rankings in proportion to the total strength?
If on the other hand, the comment# 63 is true, what makes the AFP now professional and apolitical according to AFP official line because of this present practice?
PMA CLASS 78 AKA MAKATARUNGAN…am dumbfounded…
Kaibigang Jose Miguel,
Palagay ko tutoo yung laman nung post ni Adebrux kaya hindi ka masasagot ng mga kasalukuyang nakaupo. Besides, sumagot man sila sa iyo, it should be according to the official spin. Else, sila naman ang mapuputukan.
Kaya nga nakakaawa itong si LTC Brawner, eh. I know, deep inside him, iba ang gusto niyang sabihin pero hindi pwede kasi AFP Spokesman siya.
On the matter of the AFP being apolitical and professional, the answer is relative. Sa mga kumikita at naaambunan, apolitical at professional. Sa mga buo pa ang integridad, the opposite.
Atin i review ang #63 ni AdeBrux – June 13, 2009 7:48 am nitong post.
Atin tignan ang pag tatangol sa isang tao na nagkaroon nang poder nang isang presidente na binase lamang sa pinag bawalan niya ang mga evidencia tunkol sa involvement ni GMA sa pag tamper nang resulta nang election 2004, na ipresenta sa investigacion. Ano ba ang naging resulta nitong pagtatangol? Makikita natin ang resulta sa akin post sa: http://jmgpatria.blogspot.com/2009/06/open-message-to-mgen-martir-afp.html
Atin din tignan kung ano ang tunkulin nang isang sundalo na profesional at walang galao political. Makita natin ito sa akin post sa http://jmgpatria.blogspot.com/2009/06/our-centuries-old-tradition-open-letter.html
Dito na natin actually makita na ang mga nag reresist sa gobierno GMA na puppet nang mga Americanos at Chinos ay apolitical at profesional. Sila ang sumusunod sa tradicional na tunkulin nang sundalo na gaya sa mga bansa na normal at civilisado.
not all of pma 78 ay tuta ni gma,i know hati ang class nila at you can see who is in magagandang pwesto ngayon sila ang mga sipsip sa mga arroyo!.
Ellen,
During the Marcos era, PMA Class’70 was Marcos favorite class. Irwin Ver, son of Gen Fabian Ver, was a member of that class too. The members were given high positions in the military and civilian sectors. What Marcos did several years ago is being copied by GMA now. It looks like history is repeating itselt — GMA and her cahoots will be removed from their seats by another People Power soon.
The People Power should be initiated by the military and backup by the people. I have a strong feeling that it will start in the Philippine Marines then spread to other ground forces. The PM (Philippine Marines) is the least corrupted unit in AFP — It is a solid group. Most of the PM young officers are disgruntled because their BEST leaders are either in prison or into hiding. Juancho Sabban’78, a former RAM member and a credible leader is the best person to lead. He will be the next “Gringo” of our military history. If Jonathan Martir’79 gets the commandant position, it is just like putting gasoline into the fire — these will irked a lot of Marine officers and might cause another uprising.
Members of PMA class ’76 and ’77 should think. Papayag na lang ba silang apak-apakan ni GMA? Maraming magagaling sa kanila they should not tolerate what GMA is doing to the military and constitution.
hi – June 11, 2009 8:41 am
Will Ferdinand’s reincarnation in little Gloria succeed? –
….What? You’re too generous to Gloria. She may become a Saint.
I think its time for GMA to start packing and forget about staying in Malacañang after her term..or else…history will repeat itself and it might be a little different…it might be a bloody end….We have no Cardinal to neutralize the raging heart and boiling blood of the people. Everyday she and her trusted friends are making enemies, making them mad, its only a matter of time, this people will all come out to oust her from her throne, and throw her in polluted Pasig river, drown her and let her bloated body float…