Feb ’06 – Page 7 – ellen tordesillas

Esperon’s last minute press

Published by Ellen on April 20, 2008

Three weeks to the end of his extended term, Gloria Arroyo’s favorite general, AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon is still at it with his “divide and conquer” strategy on the 28 officers he imprisoned for refusing to allow themselves in to be used in thwarting the will of the people in the 2004 elections.

Last week, Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and 20 other detained officers were brought back to Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal more than two months after they were brought against their will to the ill-ventilated ISAFP detention quarters in Camp Aguinaldo. (Col. Ariel Querubin and Major Leomar Jose Doctolero are in Camp Aguinaldo hospital. Brig. Gen. Danny Lim is in Camp Crame with the Magdalo officers.)

All because of a chief of staff’s vindictiveness

Published by Ellen on April 16, 2008

Update: Maj. Aquino was allowed a six- day leave last Friday. He will be able to pay his last respects to his sister.

This appeared in the Tribune, April 16, 2008

A sister had long waited for a brother in her death bed, and when he called, she just saved her last breath to say goodbye to him.

Army Scout Ranger Maj. Jason Aquino never made it to see his sister before she died Monday morning. And to this day, that request, although approved by the military court, has never been honored by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr.

Miranda et al off to more fortified Tanay

Published by Ellen on April 11, 2008

Update, Apr 12: Col. Querubin back in the hospital after he experienced chest pain again Friday.
It’s a blessing in disguise that his planned transfer to Camp Capinpin last Wednesday didn’t push through.

More details in comments section below.

Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and Col. Ariel Querubin were brought back to Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal last Wednesday (April 9) in what is seen as escalation of pressure by AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon.

The rest of the officers will be brought back in batches to their former detention facility which was fortified while they were at the ISAFP compound in Camp Aguinaldo. While before the set up was barracks style, Esperon has individual cells built. Para ring nakabartolina.

Esperon working out deal with ‘Tanay’ junior officers?

Published by Ellen on April 10, 2008

Remember my column last April 4 titled “The offers”? More details are coming out:

by Victor Reyes
Malaya

A lawyer of officers facing court martial for an alleged overthrow attempt in February 2006 yesterday said Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon has sent a member of his staff to make “overtures” to the accused.

Trixie Angeles said Maj. Cristobal “CJ” Perez has approached the officers twice since last week, asking them what he could do for their pending cases, particularly those of the junior officers.

Nolle prosequi

Published by Ellen on April 6, 2008

I took off last Thursday for a much-needed vacation so I missed the court martial hearing of the 28 officers accused of mutiny and conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman for allegedly planning to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006 after her thwarting the will of the people was exposed by the Hello Garci tapes.

But thanks to a friend who was in the hearing. She wrote me the following narrative of what happened last Thursday. I’m sharing this with you to better understand the latest development on the case of these patriot-officers who continue to hold on to their principles despite emotional, economic and physical hardships.

Prosecution agrees to review charges vs Miranda et al

Published by Ellen on April 5, 2008

From Malaya:

by Victor Reyes

The prosecution on Thursday agreed to review the charges against 28 Marine and Army officers who are facing trial for the alleged attempt to grab power in February 2006 based on the “special plea” of former Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, alleged plot leader.

At Miranda’s arraignment yesterday, military defense counsel Lt. Col. Basilio Pooten moved for the withdrawal of the charges (noli proseque), citing lack of evidence against the accused, after Miranda was asked for his special plea.

The offers

Published by Ellen on April 3, 2008

In the past weeks, Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and his fellow detainees at the ISAFP compound in Camp Aguinaldo have been visited by officers with a message from someone “at the top”.

A source said there were two proposals. The first was for the officers to plead guilty to conduct unbecoming of an officer in exchange for the dismissal of the charge of mutiny. Punishment for conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman (Articles of War 96) is dismissal from service while mutiny is life imprisonment.

Murder in the making

Published by Ellen on March 23, 2008

AFP Hermogenes Esperon has failed to break the spirit of the 28 officers he has charged with various offenses in connection with the military unrest in February 2006 following the leak of the “Hello Garci” tapes the illegitimacy of the Arroyo presidency.

Now, he is trying to kill them by depriving them of adequate air.

Dawn of Tuesday last week, Medal of valor awardee, Col. Ariel Querubin, complained of shortness of breath and chest pains. It was only after four hours, at about 7 a.m., that he was brought to the Camp Aguinaldo hospital, where the X-ray machine was out of order and no medicine available. Querubin had to send his security escort out to buy his medicine. He was later transferred to V. Luna Medical Hospital where he was confined at the Intensive care Unit. He will be brought to the Philippine Heart Center today for angioplasty.

Wives of ‘Tanay Boys’ hit limits on conjugal visits

Published by Ellen on March 7, 2008

by Victor Reyes

Wives of military officers implicated in the alleged attempt to grab power in February 2007 are complaining against the lack of conjugal visits to their husbands who are detained at a facility at the Intelligence Service of the AFP inside Camp Aguinaldo.

The complaints were relayed to the media by Gina de Venecia, wife of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia, who had a dialogue with the accused officers inside Isafp. She was with a group of Commission on Human Rights officials led by Commissioner Wilhelm Soriano.

She said her visit, timed for Women’s Day, was prompted by the soldiers’ wives asking for her help.

Failure of Leadership, Failure of Command

Published by Ellen on February 28, 2008

Cong. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III of the 2nd District of Bukidnon, calls on Gloria Arroyo and AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon to resign in a privilege speech delivered on Feb. 27, 2008.

Jason and Fe Aquino have been happily married for 14 years now. Jason Aquino is a Major of the Philippine Army, assigned at Fort Bonifacio. He is no ordinary soldier, for he is the class baron of Philippine Military Academy Class ’91 and former Operations Chief of the elite Scout Rangers. His wife, Fe, is a housewife who hails from Cagayan de Oro. They are blessed with four daughters; Chen, who is 13 years old, a first year high school student; Chel who is 12 years old, a grade six student; and Chez who is 8 months old. All of them study at the Holy Spirit School at New Manila, Quezon City. Last year, the couple was blessed with another baby girl.

Category: Feb ’06