Feb ’06 – Page 4 – ellen tordesillas

Wanted: Witnesses

Published by Ellen on April 26, 2009

Court martial hearings of the 28 officers charged with mutiny for a non-event in February 2006 are opportunities for Manila-based family members of those detained in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal to meet.

One of those who always goes to Daza Park in Camp Aguinaldo every time there’s a hearing is Renzo Guinolbay, five-year old son of Capt. Ruben Guinolbay, known to many as the “hero of Lamitan” when he and his men battled with the Abu Sayyaf group who were holding the Dos Palmas hostages in 2001.

Renzo does not know that his father is under detention. He thinks that his father is undergoing training in Tanay.

In the hearing last April 17, Renzo came with his cousins, who were curious why there were so many soldiers in the area. Renzo said, “Oh, they are guarding my father’s class.” He thinks that his father and other officers are in a class because the setup in the courtroom is that all the accused are seated at the center of the room, surrounded by steel railings.

Prosecution wants to change rules in the middle of the game

Published by Ellen on April 25, 2009

Update of the mutiny case against 28 officers in connection with the February 2006 alleged withdrawal of support from Gloria Arroyo following revelations of the military’s role in the tampering of election results as heard in the “Hello Garci” tapes:

The prosecution asked that the charge sheet, which focused on the Feb. 23, 2006 activities, be amended to include the Feb. 26 Fort Bonifacio standoff because their witnesses can only speak about the Feb. 26 standoff.

The court denied the motion to amend the charges.

More of this on Monday.

Photo caption:

Unspeedy trial

Published by Ellen on March 26, 2009

Click on each of the pictures to view them enlarged.

At the court martial hearing of the 28 officers accused of mutiny for a February 2006 non-event last Feb. 26, it was agreed that the next hearing would be on March 10, 2009.

A day before March 10, the lawyers of the accused were notified that the hearing would be on March 20. No explanation was given why the agreed hearing on March 10 would not push through.

March 20 came and all the lawyers and the accused (except for two officers) were present at the Daza Park hall in Camp Aguinaldo. But there were only three members of the panel who would be hearing the case: Maj. Gen. Jogy Fojas, Commodore Ramon Punzalan and law member Col. Marian Aleido, when there should at least be four of them to constitute a quorum. One member was out of the country. Even the trial judge advocate could not explain the absence of the other members of the panel.

Tempest in high seas

Published by Ellen on March 12, 2009

Three days before the Philippine Archipelagic Baselines Law ( Republic Act No. 9522 ) was signed last Wednesday, the United States protested “harrasment” by Chinese vessels of their mapping ship in international waters off China which once again underscores the volatility of the South China Sea.

Immediately after Malacañang announced the signing of the baseline law, China protested the inclusion of islands in the Spratlys and Scarborough shoal in Philippine territory as “regime of islands” even as Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who was the first one to file a baseline bill, accuses the Arroyo administation of “selling out” to the Chinese.

Trillanes insists that Scarborough shoal, off Zambales, should be within the country’s archipelagic baseline. By excluding the area, which was the scene of Philippine Navy skirmishes with Chinese forces in 1999, from the baseline, the country lost some 15,000 square nautical miles of Philippine territory.

Three years after: no end in sight for detained Marines and Rangers

Published by Ellen on February 26, 2009

by Tessa Jamandre VERA Files Exactly three years ago today, hundreds of Marines marched in full battle gear outside the Marine headquarters in Fort Bonifacio,…

Three years ago

Published by Ellen on February 22, 2009

Three years ago, on this day, there were talks of restlessness in the military as more first-hand accounts of how the military was used as cheating operators in the 2004 elections were being shared by the soldiers themselves.

Eight months earlier, on June 6, 2005 then Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye revealed the existence of a taped conversation between Gloria Arroyo and then Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano about manipulating the results of the election in Muslim Mindanao to offset the huge lead posted by opposition candidate Fernando Poe Jr. in Luzon.

Gloria Arroyo apologized on TV for “talking to an election officer” which is prohibited by law. “A confessed felon,” lawyer Francisco Chavez said.

A mother finally got to embrace her son

Published by Ellen on January 2, 2009

Col. Ariel Querubin, who has been in detention for almost three years, was allowed to be with his 87-year old mother on her birthday on New Year’s day in their place in La Union. A friend who was there wrote to me the heartwarming reunion of the Medal of Valor awardee with his mother.

col-querubin-with-mom

I had a very good reflection about hope and family this New Year. For the first time, I celebrated New Year out of town with a very special family. And the experience gave me a chance to reflect about how my mother had been spending Christmasses away from us for 10 years now. How she must have longed to come home. Oh how I missed her now. Let me then share with you, a new year’s story about a mother and son that I will never forget…

‘Tanay boys’ motion to dismiss raps junked

Published by Ellen on December 8, 2008

A military tribunal yesterday dismissed the motion of defense lawyers to dismiss the mutiny charges against Army and Marine officers linked to the alleged power grab attempt in February 2006, saying the motion was premature.

At least 19 of the 28 accused officers, through their lawyers, earlier filed motions citing lack of evidence. They said evidence and exhibits marked by the prosecution were not enough to prove their guilt.

The 19 include Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, former Marines commandant, and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, former commander of the Army’s First Scout Ranger Regiment.

The two are accused of attempting to lead their men to a march to Edsa in February 2006, where they were to supposedly withdraw support from President Arroyo.

Military tribunal asked to drop mutiny charge

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2008

by Victor Reyes
Malaya

The military tribunal hearing the case against 28 Army and Marine officers linked to the alleged withdrawal of support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006 will hear today the motion of the defense to mutiny charges for lack of evidence.

In a demurrer, lawyer Vicente Verdadero, counsel for 15 officers including Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, said “assuming the facts alleged by the prosecution to be true, said facts do not in law sustain the charge of mutiny.”

Verdadero said seven of his clients – Lt. Cols. Nestor Flordeliza and Edmundo Malabanjot; Capts. Ruben Guinolbay, and Frederick Sales, and 1Lts. Ervin Divinagracia, Sandro Sereno, and Jacon Cordero – were not even mentioned in the evidence or exhibits of the prosecution panel.

Verdadero also wants dismissed the case against former Scout Ranger chief Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim; Maj. Leomar Jose Doctolero; Captains Isagani Criste, Joey Fontiveros, William Victorino Upano, Dante Langkit, and 1Lts. Homer Estolas and Richiemel Caballes.

Tama na, kumilos na

Published by Ellen on November 29, 2008

Matindi ang kahulugan ng “Araw ng mga Bayani” ngayon dahil nakikita natin kung paano binabastos ni Gloria Arroyo at ng kanyang asawa at kanilang mga alagad ang saligang batas na nagbubuo ng diwa ng ating sambayanan.

Maraming buhay ang nabuwis para maitaguyod natin ang ating demokrasya at ito ay bastas-basta na lang niyuyurakan ni Arroyo para lamang patuloy isyang manaitli sa kanyang ninakaw na kapangyarihan.

Noong Huwebes, naglabas ng mensahe si Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim na ngayon ay nakakulong dahil nanindigan siya ng ilang beses laban sa mga katiwalian ni Arroyo. Tawag nga ni Lim kay Arroyo ay “pekeng presidente.”

Category: Feb ’06