It’s good that Brig. Gen. Danny Lim is able to celebrate his 55th birthday today out of detention.
I’m told that in the courtesy call of former Scout Ranger chief Brig. Gen. Danny Lim to Armed Forces Chief Delfin Bangit immediately upon his release from Camp Crame custodial center early Monday evening, they discussed the situation of the 15 other officers still in detention.
Among the remaining 15 officers are eight Scout Rangers, who are still detained in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal and one member of the Army’s Special Forces, Capt. Dante Langkit.
The eight Scout Rangers are Maj. Jason Laureano Aquino, Maj. Jose Leomar Doctolero, Capt. James Sababan, Capt. Montano Almodovar, Capt. Joey Fontiveros, Capt. Isagani Criste, Capt. William Upano, and 1Lt. Homer Estolas.
The five other officers are from the Marines namely Maj. Gen. (ret.) Renato Miranda, Col (ret.)Ariel Querubin, Col. Orlando de Leon, Lt. Col. Custodio Parcon, Lt. Col. (ret.) Achilles Segumalian.
Lim’s release should raise the hopes of those still in detention, especially the junior officers, because their continued incarceration is double injustice. I really find it appalling that Gen. Lim is out of detention ahead of 1Lt Homer Estolas.
In an organization that adheres strictly to the chain of command, how can the probability of guilt of a junior officer be higher than that of his commander?
They were originally 28 accused of committing mutiny for allegedly planning to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006 following the “Hello Garci” expose that revealed complicity of a number of military officers in the manipulation of results of the 2004 elections in favor of Arroyo.
After two years and eight months in detention, 11 were cleared of mutiny charges, released and returned to service in November 2009. They were two Marines, Col. Januario Caringal and Major. Domingo Francisco Fernandez, and nine Army Scout Rangers namely Lt. Col. Nestor Flordeliza (who has now retired), Lt. Col. Edmundo Malabanjot, Capt. Ruben Guinolbay, Capt. Frederick Sales, Capt. Allan Aurino, Capt. Ervin Divinagracia, 1Lt Jacon Cordero, 1Lt Sandro Sereño, and 1Lt Richiemel Caballes.
Later, Marine Col. Armano Bañez was also cleared.
Lim was released from the Camp Crame Custodial Center after he posted P200,000 bail with the Makati Regional Trial Court branch trying the rebellion case that stemmed from the Nov. 2007 Manila Peninsula standoff.
He was turned over to the military which has jurisdiction over him because of the court martial case. Bangit approved the temporary liberty of Lim under the custody of Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Ordoñez, chief of the military’s Philippine Defense Reform office. The same arrangement is being explored for the rest of the 15 officers still in detention. The officer in custody should just make sure that the accused officers are present during the hearings.
The next hearing will be on July 9, 2010.
In the last hearing on May 21, the whole morning was spent on the defense panel asking for a copy of the court resolution denying their motion for reconsideration on its decision denying their motion to find the remaining accused not guilty of mutiny.
The defense said the court’s resolution was based on wrong evidence because it cited the standoff at the Marines headquarters in Fort Bonifacio on Feb. 27, 2006 when the charge sheet limited the case to what happened on Feb. 23, 2006.
With the court’s denial of their motion for reconsideration, the defense is expected to start the presentation of their evidence.
In his motion to find the accused not guilty of mutiny October last year, Atty. Vicente Verdadero, lawyer of Lim, Langkit and the 14 other Scout rangers, said the manuals for court martial state that, “Any person with intent to usurp or override lawful military authority, refuse, in concert with any other person, to obey orders or otherwise do his duty or creates any violence or disturbance is guilty of mutiny.”
He said that this does not apply to the accused officers because it never entered their mind to usurp lawful military authority or create violence or disturbance.
He cited the fact that Arroyo was scheduled to come to the Scout Rangers headquarters in Camp Tecson in Bulacan Feb. 25, 2006 to inaugurate a housing project for enlisted men.
Verdadero said if they had intentions of harming her, “Sana hinintay nalang nila ang pagpunta ng mahal na Pangulo doon at pinugutan ng ulo.”
“No, no, Your Honor,” protested Verdadero, “Hindi nila magagawa yan sa ating mahal na pangulo.”
I’m quite sure that I saw a naughty grin when Verdadero was saying that.
“I’m quite sure that I saw a naughty grin when Verdadero was saying that.” – Ellen
When I read Verdadero’s quip “Sana hinintay nalang nila ang pagpunta ng mahal na Pangulo doon at pinugutan ng ulo”, my imaginations ran wild.
Happy birthday, Gen. Lim.
I hope you will also help those officers who are left behind.
Pres Noynoy’s victory is also victory of justice for these soldiers, their lawyer and fellow soldiers who betrayed them will now receive the consequences of their treachery.
‘Verdadero said if they had intentions of harming her, “Sana ….”’
Sana nga!
There’s one interesting column by Ramon Farolan (PDI, March 2, 2009) regarding Gen. Lim and Gen. Bangit and please allow me to quote in part:
Gen. Danny Lim’s military career… began as a plebe at the Philippine Military Academy in 1973. In 1974, after completing plebe year with class 1977, he was sent to the US Military Academy at West Point, graduating with the class of 1978. By tradition, he could have joined PMA class 1977, his original group, but Lim is listed in the PMA alumni register as a member of PMA class 1978.
Like the legendary phoenix, Lim rose from the ashes of the 1989 coup to become a brigadier general. Just a few years ago, the brightest stars of PMA class 1978 were Brig. Gen. Delfin Bangit, the commander of the Presidential Security Group, and Lim. If anyone dared to predict who in the class would become AFP chief of staff, the choice easily narrowed down to these two gentlemen with each deferring to the other whenever the subject was raised. xxx
KUNG naging sakim lamang si BGen LIM at inisip ang pansariling ambisyon lamang, maaaring yumukod siya noon kay gloria, humingi ng tawad upang mapawalang sala at mabalik muli sa serbisyo SIGURADONG malakas siyang contender sa CS, AFP position. Subalit, dala ng kanyang walang bahid dungis na prinsipyo ay mas pinili pa niya ang magpakulong kaysa mapabilang sa mga nagpakasangkapang bulag na tagasunod ni gloria arroyo.
Madali para sa kanya (noong panahong iyon) ang unahin ang pagkakamit ng katuparan ng ambisyon ng sino mang opisyal ng hukbo, ang maluklok sa pinakamataas na puwesto subalit hindi niya hinangad na makuha iyon, bagkus ay patuloy niyang ipinaglaban at pinanindigan ang alam niyang tama at tumpak na paraan ng pagpapakita at pagpapamulat sa sambayanan ng tunay at lantay na diwa ng paglilingkod sa bayan mangahulugan man iyon ng pagkakakulong habang buhay.
Ilan lamang sila sa pumpon ng mga tinawag at hinirang ang nagpakita ng tunay na pagmamahal at pagpapahalaga sa tungkuling sinumpaan. Pinatunayan nila, silang iilan na walang makakalupig sa kanilang kagitingan at paninindigan at patuloy silang magiging halimbawang marangal at hindi nanghihinayang ialay ang buhay alang alang sa kapakanan ng bayan.
BGen LIM at mga kasamang ginoo, MABUHAY KAYO!
“…….Verdadero said if they had intentions of harming her,hinintay nalang nila ang pagpunta ng mahal na Pangulo doon at pinugutan ng ulo.”
“Hindi nila magagawa yan sa ating mahal na pangulo.”
I’m quite sure that I saw a naughty grin when Verdadero was saying that.
Sus, hindi naman nila talaga masisikmurang madungisan ang kanilang mga kamay ng dugo ng asong nakukunyaring tao, eh.
Nakakadiri!
Yuckkkkkk!!!
Pangilinan sees midnight deal in P300-billion rushed AFP purchases
http://tribune.net.ph/
Hanggang ngayon, AFP modernization pa rin ang ginagawa nilang dahilan upang magkamal ng salapi. Mula pa ito noong panahon ni Tabako, naudlot noong agawin ng babaeng aso ang gobyerno kay Erap at ngayong matatapos na pati ‘yung ninakaw na termino, modernization pa rin ang kinakasangkapan?
Umaapaw na ‘yung mga bank accounts nila sa iba’t ibang bangko lalo ‘yung sa Germany, ah.
Ito namang si Kiki Panghilinan, nagpapabango na naman.
Gago, dahil sa NOTED ninyong dalawa ni Sir Raulo Gagonggonzales kaya nagkaletse letse ang buhay ng sambayanang Pinoy!
Personally, all I ever asked in my prayers during the campaign period was for Noynoy to win so that my friends will get a chance for freedom and consequent reinstatement…its practically the only thing I will ask of Noynoy, nothing else…simply lang, yun lang…everything else he does after that, right or wrong I will support him…
Happy more BDAY Sir!
Pagpalain ka ng ating Mahal na Panginoo.
Tuloy ang laban…
Hayan…na intercept ni Verdadero ang …n kaya Lord na nga e-type ko para di ma Hello Garci II!
Nang makaahon naman ang Pinas sa hirap’t dusa, kuba na ang Noypi sa isang damakmak na problemang ginawa at iiwan nang rehimeng Hello Garci.
Bawi tayo whoever na maiproklama na uupong pangulo ng bansa.
BGen LIM, happy birthday, Sir.
Sa mga katulad kong tatay, Happy Fathers’ Day sa ating lahat.
Fathers’ Day Tip:
Always listen to your wife.
She gives sound advice……
99% sound & 1% advice.
I hope and wish that soldiers would find no more reason to do what they had done in the past, but to hold to their solemn oath to defend the law and the constitution of the land and from enemies from within and without…and no more of their own political masters. Politicians should give them no more reason to pick up arms against its own.
let us take a vote: ano ang gusto ninyong gawin kay gloria putot arroyo?
1. pugutan ng ulo?..not by chopping her head..but lagari ang gagamitin..mapurol na lagari…o kaya mpurol na kutsilyo.
2. hang her upside down? bitayin kang suli.. and then tiradorin o kaya dart ang gamitin…ang center ay ang kanyan nunal…piso piso ang isang tira…funds can be used for worthwhile projects for the school children..
3. tie her sa poste sa Luneta, pour honey on her and let the ants lick her ass and entire body..sa liit siya it will not take a lot of red ants o kaya hantik to lick..
Here are the don’ts:
Don’t burn her…baka sabihin niya si Joan of Arc siya..
Don’t chop her head…baka sabihin niya si Thomas More siya..
Don’t put her n a firing squad..baka sabihin niya si Jose Rizal siya..
make her execution as unique and masakit slow death…
ano kaya put her in a boiling pot…maliit lang na caldero ang kailangan…
and let her family witness this slow death…Fr. Bernas can give her the last rites..o kaya si Quiboloy…
This I would love to see…
I heard from Anthony Taberna that Noynoy is contemplating to assign Gen. Lim to head the MECO office in Taiwan. MECO is actually registered as a private company (NGO) in Taiwan in adherence to our official One-China policy.
Gen. Lim speaks fluent Mandarin and will surely work for the welfare of our OFWs and since it is in private capacity, the law against appointment to gov’t and/or GOCC posts, for losing candidates for one year after elections, is not violated.
After one year, he may be transferred to a gov’t position that is more in line with his outstanding military training and experience.
I am all for it. Happy birthday, sir.
Wow! Tongue, totoots ba ‘yan?
Bah, a good start for BGen LIM ‘yan. After one year, puwede na nga siyang italaga ni Noynoy sa kanyang gabinete.
Sigurado akong ngayon pa lamang ay marami ng galamay nina oink oink at gloria ang nanginginig ang puwet. Maging ‘yung mag-asawang kawatan din.
Bilang na ang maliligayang araw nila!
Is that right Tongue?
That’s a very plum position, stipends wise 🙂 A very very very financially rewarding post for the person who wants to strike it rich.
Espinoza, Gloria’s favourite general, the same one who threatened to take down Malacanang with his boys (and the same fellow who purchased the sub-standadrd Taiwan Kevlar helmets) from Quezon if Erap didn’t resign, became a multi-millionaire. He would boast to friends in the military that he never had a personal checking account in his life but as soon as he was posted to Taiwan, he had not only one but several personal checking accounts
Very little auditing is done with regard to that particular ‘diplomatic’ station’s accounts.
Tom Alcantara was also in the same position. Imagine a successful businessman who owns big power plants, plantations and subdivisions, among others, picking a small overseas office with quasi-embassy functions.
In business it’s called the cost of opportunity. Some other blogger said he used the position to smuggle oil, not me. [wink]
“Very little auditing is done with regard to that particular ‘diplomatic’ station’s accounts. – anna
Oh yes, someone said the passport fees were not even reported to Manila during Alcantara’s time.
Wait, isn’t it recent news that Taiwan, HK, Macau will start to prioritize hiring from the mainland over aliens like Filipinos? We may be jubilant for nothing. 🙁
From Charmaine Deogracias Facebook:
Aquino said he will not reappoint Gen Bangit, who then granted the temporary release of Lim & now urging the rest of the detained officers to avail of the same.
They waited 4 years to be vindicated yet caught up in the game of politics in the military again.Can they settle for anything less than justice?Their case is a test case for people to see if justice can now work under the new govt & not a bargaining chip.
Tongue,
Tom Alcantara not only smuggled oil, he also used his position in Taiwan to “launder” money!
Is he still alive? Haven’t seen him for quite some time. A girl friend of mine had a crush on him – I told her that if she wanted a “he man”, she should look elsewhere discouraged 🙂
ooops, “she should look elsewhere. I discouraged her a bit… to prevent her getting heartbroken. 🙂 “
AnnaDeBrux: “and the same fellow who purchased the sub-standadrd Taiwan Kevlar helmets”
This guy is bringing shame to the filipino marines. This is looting our money. Why has he not been charged?
What about the new standard Philippine Marine camouflage uniforms, did this guy purchase them also from Taiwan? Can we not make our own uniforms here in the Philippines?
How much foreign reserves have we lost with this transaction? This standard design pattern of uniform for our soldiers, being made from a foreign country is very bad for our security.
Is there any information or investigation that will be conducted on this GMA related crime?
re #24:This guy is bringing shame to the filipino marines. This is looting our money. Why has he not been charged?
Jose Miguel, Espinoza was charged, i think, violations of the anti-graft law. I just don’t know the outcome.
That’s why Espinoza had to resign from MECO.
BTW, Espinoza’s friends were Chavit Singson and Boy Saycon of COPA.
Tongue T
OK kung sa MECO maipwesto si Gen. Lim. Sabi ko nga, maraming pwedeng paglagyan sa kanya. Marami rin tayong nabasa at narinig ka kaaliwaswasan dyan sa MECO pero ang mas mahalaga ay maayos na mapangalagaan ang mga manggagawang Pinoy sa Taiwan.
Gen Danny Lim will be a big help to Noynoy in whatever capacity, same with Riza Hontiveros,Gov Panlilio, Gov Padaca, Jesse Robredo, Martin Bautista, etc……
Gen Lim has proven his courage, integrity, competence and loyalty to the right person and right cause with flying colors …..
Gen Danny Lim will be a big help to Noynoy in whatever capacity, same with Riza Hontiveros,Gov Panlilio, Gov Padaca, Jesse Robredo, Martin Bautista, etc……
Gen Lim has proven his courage, integrity, competence and loyalty to the right person and right cause with flying colors …..
—————————
I agree.
Thanks for the info Ellen. I hope there will be some clarification also as to information on the new standard Philippine Marine camouflage issue being imported from Taiwan. Imagine, an simple product like a camouflage uniform still being imported? There are other issues but the most basic issue regarding this importation is the security issue. We place our security inputs in the hands of foreigners?
“BTW, Espinoza’s friends were Chavit Singson and Boy Saycon of COPA.” – Ellen.
Same color, same smell.
Same same nga sila.
They all thrived from the rewards they got in defending the bruha.
sychitpin, BGen LIM showed and proved his loyalty to the flag, to the republic and most especially to the Constitution he had sworn to defend and protect. Not to anyone you would want to imply.
Unfair naman sa kanya ‘yun.
Panahon na para ikulong ang may kasalanan,at pakawalan ang mga walang sala!
Panahon na para tanggalin sa gobyerno mga magnanakaw, at ilagay ang mga mapagkakatiwalaan!
Panahon na upang ibalik ang magandang asal at ugali!
#29 : MPRivera -sychitpin, BGen LIM showed and proved his loyalty to the flag, to the republic and most especially to the Constitution he had sworn to defend and protect. Not to anyone you would want to imply.
that’s what i mean by saying to the right cause, to the right person means to Pres Noynoy who also vows to serve the country faithfully, the Phil will now have a duly elected and legitimate president within this month, after 9 years of shameless misrule and bad governance of a bogus pres.
After the appointment ban, better to assign or appoint Gen. Lim at DND or moreso in Bureau of Customs. But for me Gen. Lim will function well in DND to remove all scalawags & corrupt officials or Generals.
I think Gen. Lim would fit at DND bec. this is the reason why he fought for/against GMA rotten leadership.
sychitpin,
BGen LIM had been serving the country in a highest form of patriotism and sense of service. Second lieutenant pa lamang siya fresh from taking up the Scout Ranger Course right after his return in the country from West Point, ipinakita na niya kung ano’ng antas ng pagiging isang kawal at opisyal ang kanyang panuntunan. Hindi lamang nitong pinaputok nila ang anomalya sa Hilaw Garci at bandang huli ay pagkandidato sa pagkasenador bilang guest candidate ng LP at pagsuporta niya kay Noynoy.
Magno,
Agree. Isn’t it ironic that people who have not served their country well or if they did serve in the military, they did it behind their desk, became very rich and very powerful, and enjoyed the nation’s largesse that they didn’t at all deserve, eg., Angie Reyes, Esperon, Espinoza, etc., etc.?
Truly excecrable that those who didn’t do anything bad agains the nation, and who on the contrary, served her well without a taint of crookedness, are the ones who were and are forced to sacrifice more, eg., family, friends, well being, and continue to suffer in prison?
Baligtad ang mundo sa Pilipinas talaga!
Anna,
It is the blind will of the “bought” people of gloria arroyo and gloria herself ang naging dahilang kung bakit nabaliktad ang mundo sa Pilipinas.
Another good example is the result of the last election. Kung hindi ba naman bulag at walang pakialam sa kapakanan ng bayan ang mga taga second district ng Pampanga, ibinoto pa nila si gloria as their representative sa Congress?
Itong Ang Gulang Peste-list where Mikey D’Horseshit is one of the nominees, pati na rin (walang) 1-Utak ni Angelo Reyes at ang (delihensiyang) Buhay ni Mariano Velarde na ibinoto ng mga tao although they knew very well these are identified with the thieves in malakanyang, hindi ba’t maliwanag na most of our electorate ay kunsintidor sa katiwalian kapalit ng konting halaga?
And those who topped the senate list. Ano ba accomplishments nila? Returnees pa ‘yung iba.
Haaay, buhay nga naman ng Pinoy.
Noynoy will need all the help he can get, Gloria has ammassed more than enough wealth to pay for the next opposition…Gloria is not afraid of the new administration.
At the rate she’s going, Gloria has enough money to run in 2016 and buy the whole elections.
She has all the SC justices under her thumb. Midnight appointees with fixed terms have invaded more posts. Erap was allowed to run, she can, too. They have tested and saw for themselves how electronic cheating can be done.
That is why I am not in favor of letting Smartmatic and Comelec get away with any type of cheating, however small, as this may only be a prelude to bigger scale operations again in 2016, when Gloria will make a comeback, when everybody is looking the other way.
Moynoy may be proclaimed anytime soon, it seems impossible to turnaround such huge lead. (Although that huge lead may have been intentionally helped, in order that the results be accepted hook, line and sinker. I am always cautious with any announcement coming out of Malacañang, especially that which proclaims the elections to be “honest and clean”.)
But it must not end there. There have been successful attempts to cheat electronically. There have been many evidences yet the investigators are looking elsewhere.
I have earlier posted in this blog my observation that Melo read to media results of canvass as early as 6:30PM of May 10, when voting was still ongoing and supposed to end at 7PM. No one here seemed to notice.
Now, this issue is confirmed by Roxas’ lawyers who reported that the first ever transmission of COC came from, you guessed right, Maguindanao.
From the IT expert’s presentation:
Next,
The complete PDF file of the technical presentation is here.
Thanks for this, Tongue.
Anna,
‘Yun ang nakakalungkot.
Tingnan mo na lang itong si Angelo Reyes, ilang taon siyang parang tipaklong sa cabinet ni gloria? Ilang posisyon ang hinawakan niya? Hindi ba’t kung nasaan ang pagkakakuwartahan ng malaki ay doon siya inilalagay ng bruha? Kunsabagay ay hindi lamang siya kundi lahat ng heneral na namulupot sa saya ni gloria ang binaha ng grasya.
Siyam na taon. Parang kulang pa sa kanila at gusto’y habang buhay na magpapayaman sa gobyerno. Ngayon naman ay peste-list representathieve.