Category: Military

An then, nobody’s left in Tanay

Published by Ellen on June 10, 2010

Wednesday evening, I talked with Maj. Leomar Jose Doctolero, who said they were already in Fort Bonifacio from Camp Capinpin in Tanay where they were detained the past three and a half years. “Wala nang naiwan sa Tanay,” he said. He said they would be going home to their families the next day while waiting for decision of the court martial of their mutiny case.

He said they are required to be present during the hearing. The next hearing is set for July 9.

9 Army officers facing mutiny charges freed
by Elena L. Aben
Manila Bulletin

Nine detained junior Army officers facing mutiny charges before the military’s General Court Martial for their involvement in the 2006 attempt to overthrow the Arroyo administration have been granted provisional liberty by Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Gen. Delfin Bangit, a military spokesman announced Wednesday.

Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos, AFP spokesman, said the nine officers – Maj. Leomar Jose Doctolero, Maj. Jason Aquino, Captains Montano Almodovar Jr.; Isagani Criste, Joey Fontiveros, James Sababan, Dante Langkit, and William Victorino Upano; and 1Lt. Homer Estolas, are scheduled anytime now to be released from their detention cell in Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal.

No harm in treating people with respect

Published by Ellen on June 8, 2010

Aquino: Bangit not my AFP chief;Versoza to stay head of the PNP

AFP Chief Delfin Bangit does not know me. I have never talked with him. I have never interviewed him.

I have cursed him many times when we were covering the court martial hearings in Camp Capinpin in Tanay of military officers accused of mutiny in connection with an alleged plan to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006 for making it hard to hace access to the accused officers.

We would loudly complain every time we were pushed back from the path of the accused, among them Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, and Col. Ariel Querubin because we wanted to interview them (which Gen. Bangit didn’t allow) and take close up photos of them.

Bangit: I’d rather be fired than quit

Published by Ellen on June 7, 2010

Aquino says he has picked replacement

by Victor Reyes and Wendell Vigilia

Armed Forces chief Gen. Delfin Bangit yesterday censured the camp of incoming president Benigno Aquino III for telling him to resign after he and 301 other senior officers were bypassed by the Commission on Appointments.

In a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo, Bangit told the incoming administration to treat the military “with honor and give us the dignity that we deserve,” and said the resignation call is an attempt to destroy the Armed Forces.

Incoming president Benigno Aquino III said he will not strike a compromise with Bangit because he already has a replacement in mind.

There are still those left behind

Published by Ellen on June 1, 2010

It’s good that Brig. Gen. Danny Lim is able to celebrate his 55th birthday today out of detention.

It would have been better if his men, still incarcerated in Camp Capinpin, would have been able to join him in his celebration of his freedom.

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.

Danny Lim released from detention

Published by Ellen on May 31, 2010

While I am glad that Brig. Gen Lim is out and would be able to celebrate his birthday in his home on Wednesday, I’m sad that 15 other officers who are accused with him in the February 2006 non-event are still in detention. Of the 15, eight are Scout Rangers junior officers and one, a member of the Army Special Forces.

I’ll write more about this on Wednesday. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV is the only one left in Camp Crame. True to his word to his fellow Magdalo officers and men that “I will be the last man out of here.”

Anyway, here’s the report by Malaya reporters Victor Reyes, Raymond Africa and Ashzel Hachero:

Former Scout Ranger chief Brig. Gen. Danilo was released from detention yesterday and turned over to the custody of Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Ordoñez, chief of the military’s Philippine Defense Reform office.

Lim and Querubin: sure spots in my senatorial list

Published by Ellen on May 2, 2010

Two names that will surely be in my senatorial list when I go to the polls on Monday: Danny Lim (number 28) and Ariel Querubin (number 47).

While we were walking along Makati Avenue from the Makati City Hall towards Ayala Avenue morning of November 29, 2007, Brig. Gen. Danny Lim told us former Economic Planning Secretary Romy Neri was joining them. That was the height of the controversy over the anomalous $329 million NBN-ZTE contract.

Dante Langkit for Kalinga governor

Published by Ellen on April 30, 2010

Capt. Langkit read the comments here and he sent a message.Check out below.

From his detention cell, Army Captain Dante Langkit is running for governor of Kalinga challenging well-entrenched politicians in the province.

A native of Kalinga Province, Langkit grew up in Poblacion Taga in the municipality of Pinukpuk. Born on October 1, 1971, Dante is the eldest among the four sons and three daughters of Esteban Linggayo Langkit and Gennette Balicao Dasayon.

Because of the then prevailing insurgency and tribal wars, Captain Langkit spent his elementary and high school studies in several government and private schools. He took his preparatory and elementary education at Bulanao Northern Elementary School and Pinukpuk Central School where he graduated Valedictorian. His high school days were spent at St. Williams Academy and St Theresita’s High School where he graduated with honors.

Simpleng kaligayahan

Published by Ellen on April 19, 2010

Tuwang-tuwa ako sa Facebook shoutout ni dating Lt(sg) Manuel “Cash” Cabochan noong Linggo ng gabi.

Halatang excited na siya sa kanyang paglaya pagkatapos ng sobra pitong taon na pagkulong dahil nanindigan sila laban kay Gloria Arroyo mula pa noong Hulyo 2003 sa Oakwood. Inulit nila ang kanilang paglaban kay Arroyo noong Nobyembre 2007 sa Manila Peninsula.

Sabi ni Cash paglabas na paglabas niya ang gusto niya gawin ay “kumain ng fishball sa sidewalk..pwedeng sumama, bawal kumontra.”

Danny Lim

Published by Ellen on April 17, 2010

Pumunta kami ng aking kapwa reporter na si Dana Batnag ng Jiji Press, isang Japanese news agency , sa Alabel, Sarangani noong isang Linggo dahil gumagawa kami ng report tungkol sa sa kandidatura ni Manny Pacquiao.

Pumunta kami sa palengke. Panay Pacquaio,a ng kanyang kalaban na si Rep. Roy Chiongbian at ng kanilang mga kapartido ang mga posters. Bigla kaming may nakita na malaking poster sa harap ng isang bahay na nagsasabing “Danny Lim for mayor. Ang litrato isang may kapayatan na mama.

Natawa kami dahil iba ang mukha ng Danny Lim na kilala naming na tumatakbo para senador sa tiket ng Liberal Party. Nang lumapit kami, katabi ng “Danny Lim for mayor”, mayroong sticker ng “Danny Lim for senator”.

Inikuwento sa amin ng mga kamag-anak ni Danny Lim for mayor na number one kagawad daw siya ng siyam na taon. Independent daw siya ngunit ang kanyang dinadalang congressman ay si Pacquiao na ang partido ay People’s Champ Movement at luminya sa Nacionalista Party ni Manny Villar sa nasyunal na antas.

Sabi ng kamaganak ni Kagawad Danny Lim na sina Rosa at Alberta, na tumatanaw daw sila ng utang na loob kay Pacquaio dahil tinulungan daw ng boksingero ang kanilang tiya na nangangailangan ng P200,000 para sa kidney transplant.

Seven years in detention, 10 Magdalo officers sentenced to 8 months in prison

Published by Ellen on April 8, 2010

Lim reading withdrawal of support from Arroyo government

A military tribunal sentenced on Wednesday to eight months in prison 10 former military officers from the reformist group Magdalo for their their participation in the November 2007 incident at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City, their lawyer said yesterday.

The 10, led by Magdalo core leaders Lt. (sg) James Layug and Capt. Gary Alejano, were given the light verdict after pleading guilty to all the four remaining charges filed against them before the court headed by Maj. Gen. Eduardo Oban.
The eight other officers were Lts. (sg) Eugene Gonzales, Andy Torrato, Manuel Cabochan; Capt Dan Orfiano; Lt. (jg) Arturo Pascua; and 1Lts. Billy Pascua, Jonnel Sangalang, and Armand Pontejos.

Lawyer Ed Abaya said his clients pleaded guilty to charges of violation of Articles of War 63 (disrespect to the President), 96 (conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman), 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline) and 70 (escape from confinement). The charge of mutiny was dropped.