It must have been slip of the tongue when Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told Malacañang reporters “We have been checking on the court” when asked for reaction to the order of Makati RTC Judge Elmo Alameda to grant bail to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and 16 officers and soldiers in connection with the Nov. 2007 incident at the Manila Peninsula.
Alameda said the evidence presented by the prosecution did not prove the charge of rebellion, which should have been non-bailable.
Alameda’s order supports common sense that what Trillanes, Lim and company did on Nov. 2007 did not constitute public uprising and taking up arms against the government which is the primary element of rebellion.
Immediately after the first reports on the Alameda order were out, the reaction of the military was positive. AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr said, “”We respect their constitutional right to seek bail and we respect the rule of law.”
He added that since the PNP has custody of Trillanes and Lim, it would be up to the police to carry out the order of the court.
But several hours later, Brawner was singing a different tune. He said “The group of Senator Trillanes cannot be released until after the military has agreed … because they are still facing general court martial…Under the military law, there is no such thing as bail.”
Between late morning, when Brawner issued his first statement, and later afternoon when he issued the hardline AFP position, did Ermita talk to AFP Chief Victor Ibrado to block the release of Trillanes and Lim?
I suggest that Ibrado review the case of the Magdalo officers and clarify the status of these officers. He will be retiring on March 10, and he would be leaving a legacy of justice if he stops being an agent of persecution of these officers who have suffered so much for standing up to an administration that has shown unbridled contempt for law and the Constitution.
The first question that Ibrado should ask is: What’s the status of Trillanes and the remaining Magdalo officers in detention?
(This does not cover Lim who was not involved in the July 2003 Oakwood incident. Lim is being tried in a general court martial for mutiny in connection with the alleged plan to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006 following the “Hello Garci” expose which revealed Arroyo’s role in the tampering of the 2004 election results.)
If Ibrado would take time to look at the records of the Magdalo case, he would see that in July 2008, Marine Capt Gary Alejano; Lt. (s.g.) James Layug; Lt. (s.g.) Eugene Gonzales; Lt (s.g.) Andy Torrato; Lt. (s.g.) Manuel Cabochan; Air Force Capt Dan Orfiano; Lt. Arturo Pascua; Air Force Lt, Billy Pascua; Lt. Jonnel Sangalang; Lt. Armand Pontejos, and 1Lt. Ashley Acedillo entered into a plea bargain. They pleaded guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman for which the punishment was dismissal from service.
They did this after talking with then AFP Chief Alexander Yano so that they would not be subjected to court martial on the Manila Pen incident.
It was not a “Gentleman’s Agreement” which was what the Magdalo officers thought they entered into with former AFP Chief Roy Cimatu representing Gloria Arroyo at Oakwood. The agreement was only the leaders would be charged in the military court. No charges would be filed in civilian court.
Arroyo reneged on the agreement entered into by her representative. Not surprising at all.
“Usapang lalaki,” was the term Yano used with the Magdalo officers. Last year, with Yano, comfortably ensconced as ambassador in Brunei and Ibrado at the helm of the AFP, they were served the charge sheet on the Manila Pen incident.
It is turning out that “word of honor” is a rare attribute among AFP chiefs of staff.
The charges were mutiny (which was dropped last month because it’s redundant with the rebellion case before the Makati RTC), conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman, conduct prejudicial to good order, disrespect of the President, and breach of arrest/escape from detention.
The last charge is funny because how can there be a breach of arrest or escape from detention when the escorts were marching with them from Makati City Hall to Manila Peninsula?
The maximum punishment for these charges is dismissal from military service. But they have already been dismissed from service since July 2008! They are now civilians.
How many times can they be dismissed from military service?
In fact, in the court martial hearing last month, members of the panel were at a loss how to address the Magdalo guys. Captain? Lieutenant? Mister?
Last Wednesday, Ermita said the prosecution will contest the granting of bail. I hope Judge Alameda would be firm when Malacañang “checks” on him.
I suggest that Ibrado review the case of the Magdalo officers and clarify the status of these officers. He will be retiring on March 10, and he would be leaving a legacy of justice if he stops being an agent of persecution of these officers who have suffered so much for standing up to an administration that has shown unbridled contempt for law and the Constitution.
Ibrado is key. He is CSAFP. His word is virtually law in the military.
He can do something. If he retires without doing what is right, then he is no better than the master who appointed him to the post Gloria.
In the scheme of things purely military or AFP, he need not ask for Gloria’s approval. He can do it with one stroke of the pen.
Rank and file will obey his order.
Usapang lalaki until Gloria appoints them somewhere else to make more money!
Ibrado, make right before you retire!
Anna and Chi:
Kayo naman. Para kayong bago. Alam na nila yan na matagal na dapat na tapos yan. Civilian na nga si Trillanes and the others di ba? Pero bakit ayaw pakawalan? Obvious ba? Ayaw talaga! Sabi nga sa kasabihan, “Pag gusto, maraming paraan. Pag ayaw, maraming dahilan!” Gloria will never forget how Trillanes and Lim humiliated her. Hence, their continued incarceration. Relax lang sila. Ilang buwan na lang. Lalaya din ang mga yan. Hopefully sana, there will be a reversal of roles. Sana sila Pandak et al naman ang nasa loob ng selda. . .hehehe
Where is swift justice! Imagine the brains and brawns unused while spending a lot on their salaries and those of the doubting tribunals and all. Or at least they eat better in the brig. Jail could be a nice retreat afterall.
About Brawner singing a different tune. Unfortunately, this is the norm and not the exception. It pervades Philippine society
This will continue under a Villar presidency.
‘usapang lalaki”? “gentleman’s agreement”? mama mia they are no men..alanganin ang mga sagot nila…alanganin ata sila..if I remember right noong nag agree sila na kasama pa si Max Soliven with then chief of staff Cimatu…usapang lalaki din daw..wala din ng yari..Gen.Lim, Gen Miranda, Sen Trillanes et al..are accused and jailed for conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentlemen.. but bakit hindi sila na kasuhan..hindi sila na jail?..ano ito ang order nila sa mga under sa kannila…”do what I tell you to do but don’t do what I do”?
Why is Gen Miranda, Gen Lim and other filipino soldiers among us, in prison when it was they who resisted GMA who has been handing over our Sabah, our islands our vital economic bases, a convicted american rapist, information on our terrain and shores thru VFA, and access to our vital information and communication thru ZTE to foreigners? It is GMA who should have been arrested for having commited acts of treason.
“……..Last Wednesday, Ermita said the prosecution will contest the granting of bail………”
Ito talagang kapitbahay ni Anna, mahilig sumawsaw kahit alam na mali ang katwiran.
Edong is not the same General Eduardo Ermita I knew before. Sobra na siyang napulitika, basahan na. Naipagbili na ang prinsipyo kapalit ng lifetime comfort sa kandungan ni gloria. Bale wala na sa kanya ang kapakanan ng mga dati niyang kasamahan sa sandatahan.
The more he gets older, the more he loses wisdom.
Ito talagang kapitbahay ni Anna, mahilig sumawsaw kahit alam na mali ang katwiran. MPR
Ay naku, Magno, when he was younger, his katwirans were founded on good logic but like you, his transformation never ceases to gobsmack me. Parang Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde ang nangyari sa kanya.
Mabuti pa sa kanya iyong kalabaw kong Batangueno na si Cimarron, tumatanda na din but not paurong. 🙂
“We have been checking on the court” — Edong Ermita
Ellen,
The tongue slipped out what his brain contained. Clearly shows that Gloria holds the balls of people in the judiciary.
Independent judiciary? A joke!
It is turning out that “word of honor” is a rare attribute among AFP chiefs of staff.
There was a time in the AFP when an AFP chief of staff’s word, rightly or wrongly, was his bond. That was the “old school” of CSAFPs. But that’s long gone. (Incredible but true, even teka-teka de Villa, in his own way, honoured his word.)
In my view, the last CSAFP to honour his word came from Class 66 (Nazareno) but scum and yabang Angie Reyes (also of 66 who happens to be despised by his mistahs) put an end to that. Class 69’s CSAFP was not bad. Contrary to his sister, he tried to honour his word. After that, with the exception perhaps of Efren Abu of Class 72, a CSAFP’s word of honour began to die an agonizing death.
The new generation of CSAFPs and would be CSAFPs, i.e., major service commanders, made sure that “word of honour” would cease to exist in their vocabulary and put it to the sword.
But one of the worst CSAFPs Pinas had (along with former PSG commander Esperon) was from Class 63, FVR’s favourite pilot.
Biggest disppointment was Senga.
OT lang po. Di ko lang matiis. . .hehehehe. . .http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/02/19/10/noynoy-regains-lead-over-villar-new-survey
Hindi lang yan Igang Henry .. eto pa …
“sinabi ni Aquino na kung papalarin siyang maluklok sa Malacañang ay titiyakin niyang dadanasin ni Arroyo (kung mahahalal itong kongresista) ang pagdaan sa ‘butas ng karayom’ ng kanyang pork barrel gaya ng ipinaranas nito sa kanilang mga taga-oposisyon sa siyam na taong panunungkulan ng Arroyo administration.”
http://abante.com.ph/issue/feb2010/news01.htm
Gutom ang aabutin nitong si Glorya at ang mga aso niyang gala pag nagkataong manalo nitong si Aquino. lol
Iba talaga itong manok mo Igan.
Tedanz, panabong yan si Noynoy… palaban! Kita naman natin hinamon po si Villarroyo ng debate…
Good news yan, henry! Si Villaroyo, sobrang pagsisisi ngayon siguro… sa takot nya kay Noynoy at sa Senate Ethics case… pinili nyang bitbitin sa bagahe nya si Gloria… hindi nya naisip ang bulok.. kahit anong tago… pipilit na aalingasaw ang baho! Kung nanatili syang nasa oposisyon, malamang na sana pagka-presidente nya…
In fact, in the court martial hearing last month, members of the panel were at a loss how to address the Magdalo guys. Captain? Lieutenant? Mister?
Ellen,
They were at a loss? Pathetic!
An official military rank — highest rank achieved — is something that can and should accompany a military officer to his/her tomb — it’s as simple as that. (NCOs too have that privilege.) More so when military officers are being tried by a court martial — they should be addressed by their rank. Full stop.
There shouldn’t be any ambiguity there.
To prove my point, a soldier’s name on his/her tomb, by tradition, is preceded by his/her military rank. In a way, it is an official recognition of the soldier’s service/s to his/her nation.
RE: “sinabi ni Aquino na kung papalarin siyang maluklok sa Malacañang ay titiyakin niyang dadanasin ni Arroyo (kung mahahalal itong kongresista) ang pagdaan sa ‘butas ng karayom’ ng kanyang pork barrel…?
Look, Igan Tedanz…PERA ang laman ng utak nitong si Noynoy Yellow F? Ang kailangan natin e Pangulo na may “K” at di utak-pulbura?
Isang damakmak ang problema ng bansa e si Gloria pa ang pinuproblema…ano ang ginagawa ng mga Abugago sa Ombudsa at Kortesupressma?
Dapat ang pagtuunan e ang insurgency, hoodlums in uniform at kawatan sa lahat ng sangay ng gobyerno. Sila ang tunay na salarin at ang kinakaya lang nila yaong mga di makabasag-pinggan na Pinoy…e karamihan diyan, buryong lamang ang mga kukote kaya sigaw dito…sigaw doon upang ipahayag ang saloobin o sama ng loob sa mga lingkod-bulsa na sinungaling na e traydor pa.
NO WAY to Noynoy at lalo na ka c5’t Tiyaga…mga sinungaling at traydor yan, ang bilis kasing makalimot ng maraming Pinoy.
Di na sila nadala sa bangungot ng EDSA DOS con Hello Garci e kung tutuusin sila ang kasapakat na umagaw ng Malacanang sa Ama ng Masang Pilipino.
Ngayon akala mo ang titino at gagaling pero puro naman peste at pahirap sa bayan.
TNS survey has (noto)Nonoy leading over Money Villar by 10 percentage points.
In the accompanying survey disclosure it was revealed that TNS stands for T-alagang N-oynoy S-ila/S-urvey.
he he he he..
isang survey lang ang kapani paniwala, iyan ay sa eleksyon. kahit sa eleksyon ay nadadaya pa rin, pero ang mananalo kahit mandaraya ay nauupo pa rin.
update : TNS survey has (noto)Nonoy leading over Money Villar by 10 percentage points.
it was also disclosed that the sampling methodology used was a stratified super-impartial not randomn sampling of the Aquino’s and their household help.
simple lang… hintayin natin ang SWS and Pulse Asia survey. tignan natin kung gano kalayo sa TNS survey!
Isang damakmak ang problema ng bansa e si Gloria pa ang pinuproblema…ano ang ginagawa ng mga Abugago sa Ombudsa at Kortesupressma? Igan, mabuti ng pinoproblema si Gloria kesa hayaan na lang… si Gloria ang una sa listahan sa tambak na problem ng bansa… ikaw na din nagsabi mga abugago ang nsa ombulsman at kortesupresma…
Isang damakmak ang problema ng bansa e si Gloria pa ang pinuproblema…ano ang ginagawa ng mga Abugago sa Ombudsa at Kortesupressma?-balweg
Igan, mabuti ng pinoproblema si Gloria kesa hayaan na lang… si Gloria ang una sa listahan sa tambak na problema ng bansa… ikaw na din nagsabi mga abugago ang nsa ombulsman at kortesupresma…
Look, Igan Tedanz…PERA ang laman ng utak nitong si Noynoy Yellow F? Ang kailangan natin e Pangulo na may “K” at di utak-pulbura?-Balweg
Okay lang naman bumira… pero sana man lang, may mgandang argumento o basehan… hindi basta-basta na lang…
Huwag n’yo nang problemahin si ninang. Nagpapakabait na ‘yung tae, este tao pati na rin ‘yung kanyang mga dating sipsip na mga supladong alalay. Patunay? Eto, basahin n’yo.
Empleyada nahimatay habang nagtatalumpati si Gloria
“……..Nasa kainitan ng talumpati si Arroyo at masaya sa pagkakadeklara na “insurgency-free” na ang Aurora nang biglang hinimatay ang usherrete, kaya’t maging ang Pangulo ay nabahala.
Kaagad binuhat ni Bong Gerardino, alalay ni Sen. Edgardo Angara si Julio at inasikaso ng mga tauhan ng Presidential Management Staff.”
http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/feb2010/luzon01.htm
Meron namang mga anas at bulong akong nasagap:
“Putang ‘nang pandak ‘yan, palibhasa’y mag-eeleksiyon kaya kunyari ay nagbabaitbaitan. Ano’ng insurgency free ang kanyang sinasabi? Napasuko n’ya na ba ang mga NPA? Ang MILF? Ang Abu Sayyaf? Sinungaling na mang-aagaw na magnanakaw!”
RE: Okay lang naman bumira… pero sana man lang, may mgandang argumento o basehan… hindi basta-basta na lang…?
YES, Igan Perl…wake-up words ang banat natin, bakit ka mo? Kasi ganito yan, si Noynoy e sumusunod lang sa dikta at pangbubuyo ng mga civil socialites?
Ka simpleng analogy, ang mga handlers niya e karamihan kicked-out from EK…at sila ang mga amuyong kasama ni Noy Fever and his momi Santita Cory na nagtraydor sa Saligang Batas at 11 milyong registered voters na niyurakan at dinutsta ng mga adelintado.
Wise si Santita Cory…after all na ginawa niya e nag-Sorry kuno, but di matanggap ng mga civil socialites, nakabuti ito sa kanyang personal na kapakinabangan.
Naging Senador si Noy Fever sa tulong ng Pangulong Erap…at ngayon, AKALA mo ang tino e wala namang guts kasi nga ano ba ang nagawa niyan sa Senado.
Anna and Mags,
Ala, si Tandang Edong e tatakbo na raw sa Tongreso vice daughter Eillen. He’s gonna resign daw as Insect-kyutib) Sickritari.
Good for the detained soldiers, but very bad for the Batangenos in particular and pinoys in general. Meron na naman isa pang boboto sa putang unana as spooker of the house of hell. (source: www. inquirer.net)
Exactly the reason why I’m going to vote for Noynoy. Kung si Noynoy ang presidente, hindi niya papayagan na maging speaker ang unana.
All his kapintasan na nababasa ko ay walang kwenta kung ikukumpara sa mangyayari kung si Villar ang presidente at ang kanyang bff na Gloria Arroyo ang speaker of the house. Alam ninyo ang tunay na pakay ni Gloria. At kung isang boto ko lang ang magiging deprensya para matalo si Noynoy at maisakatuparan ang Gloria forever, sising dukling ang labas ko.
Basta ang isang wish ko, sakali at palarin sya, ay bigyan ng amnesty lahat ng Magdalo at Tanay boys… pantay-pantay.
We have known that Ret. Gen Cimatu has no balls. I wonder why the MAGDALO soldiers believed him when he was sent as emissary of PANDAK President. Usapang lalake ito? Huh! Hindi naman siya lalake ah.
We fervently hope that Gen. Ibrado is different from the past CSAFP. We hope he reviews the case of the MAGDALO soldiers and orders the release of these PRINCIPLED SOLDIERS.
Chi,
Hindi naman kami sakop ng district kung saan kakandidato ang matandang ‘yan. Ano ba nagawa ng anak niya tonggreso? Tumunganga? Maghintay ng sobre galing malakanyang?
Si Ingkong Edong, may nagawa ba siya distrito ninyo, Anna?
Sa ating mga Batanggenyo, ano ang naibigay niya? Hindi ba’t isang libo’t isang kahihiyan dahil sa kasama siya sa nagluklok kay gloria?
Kung iboboto pa siya ng mga tao doon sa kanyang distrito, dusa na nila ‘yun.
Isang maliwanag na uri ng bulag na kabobohan!