How does one defend democracy?
By aiding in the tampering of results of election so that your candidate will be declared winner even if she was not elected by the people? Or by joining the people who demand accountability from government officials who subverted the will of the people?
This is the question that face the panel trying the 28 officers accused of mutiny for something that did not happen in February 2006 after former AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon claimed “defense of democracy” in his decision to incarcerate the officers even as he continues serve an unelected president.
I caught up with what happened during the court martial hearing last Wednesday through the VERA files video report.
I missed the hearing that I have been following for the three years because I was in Cebu for a sharing session with Cebu journalists on the 2010 elections.
It was my second time to be with Cebu journalists have their annual Press Freedom Week. The first time was I think in 2005. I’m impressed with the “friendly competition” among Cebu journalists that make for a healthy and progressive journalism community.
The session I participated was organized by the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists headed by Elias Baquero, who used to be the Cebu correspondent of Malaya during our “mosquito press” years under the Marcos regime.
My Cebu trip was made possible by the Canadian Embassy, which facilitates the participation of Marshall McLuhan fellows in media activities in the country. I was actually a pinch hitter for Gloria Glenda, manager of ANC, who had a more urgent assignment from ABS-CBN management last Wednesday.
The witness in the court martial hearing last Wednesday was former Esperon, currently the head of the Presidential Management Staff. I understand he was the last witness of the prosecution that is expected to wrap up its presentation in the next hearing.
Esperon’s court appearance has been awaited by the accused who include Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda Brig.Gen.(his bunkmate in the Philippine Military Academy), Brig. Gen. Danny Lim, and Col. Ariel Querubin.
Esperon was Army chief in February 2006 when the Arroyo administration was shaken by “Hello Garci” tapes where Arroyo was heard talking with then Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano how to make sure that she leads by one million votes.
The name of Esperon was mentioned by Garcillano as one of the generals that were helpful to them as against Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani who was not cooperative with his operators. The revelations of the role of the military in subverting the will of the people in an elections had caused restiveness among members of the armed forces especially the junior officers.
Then AFP Chief Generoso Senga ordered the investigation of the aborted plan by some members of the armed forces to join a protest rally on Feb. 24, 2006.
In October 2006, by that time Esperon was already the AFP chief, the investigating panel headed Col. Al Perreras recommended the dismissal of the charge of mutiny (67th Article of War) against all the respondents “for lack of factual and legal bases”.
The panel recommended that the officers be charged with conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman (96th Article of War).
In November 2006, Esperon disapproved the pre-trial investigation report and ordered trial for the 28 officers for the charge of mutiny and conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman. When the accused were not arraigned after two years, the charge of “conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentlemen” was dismissed.
Last Wednesday was the first time that the accused officer faced their accuser. Vera Files’ Tessa Jamandre described the atmosphere in court as filled with “silent tension.”
Asked what he felt seeing the officers who had been in jail for three years as he had ordered, Esperon replied, “I believe this is all part of my defense of democracy so it is not something hard to do, appearing here as a witness and I will come out with whatever is asked of me in this court and what I should be telling as a witness.”
Esperon is reported to be going into politics in 2010 either as congressman in one of the districts in Pangasinan or senator. His name has also been mentioned as one of those being considered to replace Gilbert Teodoro as defense chief.
Danny Lim, who has announced his plan to run for senator in next year’s election, reacted to Esperon’s claim that his action was in “defense of democracy” because he said the February 2006 incident was agitated by the rigging the results of the 2004 elections with the participation of military generals that included Esperon.
Lim said, “Ang masama nito, kung sino iyong mga kriminal noong 2004 elections, sila ang hindi nakulong. Kami ang mga nagbabayad sa mga kasalanan nila. Ang original sin dito is the 2004 electoral cheating. We are the ones paying the price for the crimes that they did.”
Lim said he would love to sit at the witness stand and tell the court what Esperon did not say during his testimony. “Sasabihin ko lahat iyong nangyari,” he said, adding that Esperon with held a lot of information.
Pictures taken during lunch break at the hearing Wednesday:
1. BGen Danny Lim and Capt. Gino Guinolbay
2. Lunch
3. Col. Armando Bañez and Lt. Sandro Sereño
4. Capt. Mon Almodovar with daughter Julia and son Renzo.
4. Maj. Francisco Fernandez,Capt.Allan Aurino,capt. James Sababan, Col. Ariel Querubin, Col. Armando Bañez.
5. Lt. Richie Caballes with wife, Debbie.
I think our country is a paradise but distorted and cursed.
Esperon replied, “I believe this is all part of my defense of democracy so it is not something hard to do, appearing here as a witness and I will come out with whatever is asked of me in this court and what I should be telling as a witness.”
Maybe Esperon has another meaning for democracy…
democracy according to Esperon’s dictionary:
1.) wealth, fortune
2.) power, extravagance
In defense of democracy…my foot!
It should be in defense of the original sin, ass…e!
Hello, idagdag ko sa comment ni mike, patungkol sa “tawag ni Gen. Razon, na “bato” daw, during their PMA-cadetship sa
Baguio City..Mukhang “bato ” nga ang dating…matigas,
sa prinsipyong pang-sarili…kailangan ang martilyo o matigas na bakal, para madurog ng pino ( powdering )…
palagay ko madudurog din sila, kung maganda ang resulta
ng 2010 eleksyon…at kung maka-wala na ang Magdalo.tiyak ang karma ng ” bat0-batong iyan “…ginulo
at nag-take advantage sila sa kabaitan ng masang Pilipino.
Pangdag-dag ko sa ibig sabihin nila ng Democracy:
1.Lumpuhin at bastusin ang saligang batas, Constitution
2.Dungisan o dumihan, ang magandang layunin ng AFP, etc…
3.Guluhin nila ang mga tahimik na mamamayan, lalo na sa Mindanao, at ibang lugar.
4.Freedom to arrest peaceful individuals, saka whistleblowers, para ma harazzzZZ sila.
5.Ngayon, may planong tumakbo ng Congressman. Saan galing ang panggastos nila ?..at anong klasing batas ang gagawin nila,…anti-human rights ???…sana manahimik na lamang sila..at huwag ng ikalat ang kanilang masasamang layunin na
alam na alam na ng buong bayan.Let’s pray for them, para
makilala nila ang katutuhanan bago sila mapunta sa Geeheennaa .This comment is for the good of the country..
“How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms; by truth when it is attacked by lies; by democratic faith when it is attacked by authoritarian dogma. Always, and in the final act, by dedication and faith.” Archibald MacLeish
“How shall freedom be defended?”
by twitter when they refuse to whistle;
by plurk when there’s a need for us to bark;
always – by blogs to expose the thugs.
mabuhay ang ellen tordesillas dot com!
How? By arms!
Dito sa pilipinas napakalabo ng konsepto ng “democracy”. depende kung sino ang nasa poder, sya ang defender ng domocracy kahit na ang kagustuhan ng taong bayan ay baluktutin sa ngalan ng democracy. napakalinaw sa logic ng testimony ni esperon kung ano ang konsepto nya ng pag depensa ng democracy. idepensa si gloria kesa sa kagustuhan ng taong bayan.
“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
Hudas defend, este how does one defend democracy?
Esperon’s way of defending democracy? Is this the moron who insisted the detained officers tried to ovethrow his president’s administration? Who is he? A nobody trying to draw his picture and write his name in Philippine history for him to be remembered as a champion of democracy? Anak ng bayag na duwag ‘yan, oo!
Why can’t he admit that he does not have any knowledge of what he is accusing against MGen Miranda et al? Why can’t he admit that everything’s just a product of his malicious imagination and intent to be successor to the CSAFP post and all his statements were only scripted to pin those he finds thorns along his way down?
In Esperon’s purported defense of democracy, who reaps its fruits most? Certainly not us ordinary citizens but the illegal palace occupant and her greedy family members and circle of vultures, aren’t they?
Para sa supot na Espweron na ito, ang pagtatanggol sa demokrasya ay ang pagsisinungaling upang mapagtakapan ang pandaraya, pagnanakaw at kasinungalingan ng kanyang pinakamamahal na panggulo.
Ano ba ang mahihita natin sa oportunistang katulad niya? Naging CG, PA at CSAFP subalit walang naging makabukuhang accomplishment na pinakinabangan ng buong hukbo dahil ang lahat ng kanyang mga ginawa ay pabor lamang para sa kanilang dalawa ni gloria arroyo.
Dapat sa dalawang ‘yan ay balatan at budburan ng asukal at magkayakap na itali sa pinamumugaran ng pulang langgam. Sapat at nararapat na parusa sa magkatuwang nilang pambabastos sa demokrasyang kanilang kunyari ay ipinagtatanggol subalit patuloy na niyuyurakan.
……mapagtakpan ang pandaraya…..
democracy??do we honestly believe that we are still in a democracy?de mock cracy perhaps.
Long Live Magdalo!!
“How shall freedom be defended?”
Nice question Hon. Queen Elene, thru Coup détat…kita mo ang chief Justice pa ang nagbasbas para maging lehitimo pulpol?
Saan ka ba naman makakakita na ang elected kuno na leader e manunumpa sa tungkulin sa oras na ang Pinoy e naghihilik pa at imagine madaling-araw?
democracy??do we honestly believe that we are still in a democracy?de mock cracy perhaps.
Pwede pang tawagin Kgg. Patria Adorada, na demo?crazy coz’kung nasa katinuan ng pag-iisip noon si Kardinal Kasalanan, Yellow ribbon wannabees, civil society, Trapo, and bystanders di tayo ngayon aabot sa ganitong mga problema?
Nasaan ang demokrasya na sinasabi nila…WALA? Ang alam nila e demoncrazy sapagka’t tulad sila ng tutang-ulol?
Esperon’s way of defending democracy?
Abdollah Mouawad,
Para malinaw at madaling basahin…ilagay natin sa tamang perspective ang stand ni Esperon sa demokrasya na sinasabi niya?
Defending about what? Ito ang tamang espelin na gusto niyang bigyang diin…Demoncrazy!
this guy espweron is only defending his own self-interest, that’s what democracy is to this sipsip bi….at. para lang ma promote ni goyang. hudas, pwe!
HW,
Ngayon ko lang nabasa na sukdulan ang galit mo a…dinuraan mo si Asspweron. hahaha!
Malakas talaga ang apog ng hoodlum na ito! Ni hindi siya nahiya sa sarili niya na sabihing for the sake of “domocracy”! Eh ano ang tawag sa ginawa niyang pandaraya sa election para mapaburan ang boobuwit? Hindi ba malaking kasalanan yan sa mga tao at sa bansa? Sus, pwede ba tumalon na lang sana siya sa bangin at baka ma-ala Abadilla pa siya. While he can get out of the mess he helped create, he should redeem himself. Mag-harakiri na lang siya kung ayaw niyang matadtad siya ng bala sa malaunan. Ang mga traidor na katulad ni asspweron ay hindi dapat hayaang mabuhay. Ahas yan! Primera klase pa!
By preserving the integrity of the ballots. By preserving its processes including that of the allowing of presentation of evidences of the GMA involvement in the tampering of the 2004 Presidential Election results before an investigation.
Jose Miguel, dapat sabihin yan kay Esperon.
They are focusing on the the restiveness on Feb. 23, 2006. They sweep under the rug what caused that restiveness which was the use of the military in Gloria Arroyo’s cheating in the 2004 elections.
Former AFP Chief Renato de Villa said never was the military insulted and abused they way GMA did in the 2004 elections. During Marcos time, he used warlords to cheat for him. The military just looked the other way. Masama na yun.
With Gloria, he made the military the cheating operators themselves. Pinintasan pa sila ni Garcillano na hindi raw sila malinis gumawa.Nakakahiya sila.