AFP chief Alexander Yano breezed through the powerful and oftentimes irrational Commission on Appointments last Wednesday.
With his confirmation, Yano is now expected to sort out the mess that his predecessor, Hermogenes Esperon has burdened the armed forces with, especially the cases of the detained officers who did not steal any money from the government but simply made a stand to stop the degradation of the armed forces.
By Julie Alipala
Mindanao Bureau
Breaking news: Angelo Valderrama, Ces’ assistant cameraman was released Thursday night.
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The hired driver of television reporter Ces Drilon and her crew has claimed to police that a known “military agent” and not members of the Abu Sayyaf extremist group abducted the ABS-CBN team, the Sulu police chief said Thursday.
Senior Superintendent Julasirim Kasim, Sulu police director, said driver Maramma Hasim, the man hired by Drilon and her team to chauffer for them in Maimbung on the day of their disappearance, claimed that one Juamil “Maming” Biyaw was the “missing link” to knowing who was behind the abduction.
Update: MILF leader frees two Marines in Basilan More of this in comments section below.
On the heels of the kidnapping of broadcaster Ces Drilon and her team, the Philipine Navy reported that two marines were abducted last Tuesday, June 10, in Al Barkha, Basilan by MILF followers.
The marine were identified as Corporals Jessie Duatin and Bernie Alcabasa .
The Philippine Navy identified their abductors as MILF Commander Malat Sulaiman alias Long Masud.
by Victor Reyes
Malaya
Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano has created a board that will look into allegations of violation of the rights of military officers detained for alleged involvement in a power grab attempt in February 2006.
The board of inquiry held its first meeting yesterday in Camp Aguinaldo with the wives of some of the detainees in attendance. It is headed by Lt. Gen. Ferdinand Bocobo, AFP inspector general, and includes as member Lt. Col. Benedicto Jose, chief of the AFP Human Rights Office.
Marami ang nadismaya sa pag-plead guilty ng 11 na Magdalo officers noong Martes sa paglabag ng Article of War no. 96, Conduct Unbecoming of an Officer and Gentleman.
Dahil wala silang media access, hindi nila masyado mapaliwanag ang kanilang desisyon. ngunit sa pagkakilala ko sa kanila, hindi nila ibebenta and kanilang paninindigan at hindi ko naman sila narinig na nag-affirm ng loyalty kay Gloria Arroyo.
Sa institusyon ng military, oo. Sa bayan oo. Hindi naman pag-aari ni Arroyo ang institusyon at ang bayan.
Check out statement of Atty. Trixie Angeles on this subject in the comments.
by Victor Reyes
Eleven junior officers facing trial in connection with the 2003 Oakwood mutiny yesterday changed their plea to guilty from not guilty to the charge of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.
The change of plea was made at the resumption of court martial proceedings and after a five-minute meeting with AFP chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano.
One does not have to be a lawyer to understand that if there’s is no offense, there is no trial.
As Frank Chavez, counsel for Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, puts it simply to the panel presiding in the court martial of the 28 officers who allegedly planned to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006, “That’s common sense, Your Honor.”
By Joel Guinto
Inquirer
Court martial proceedings for the 28 officers accused of an alleged February 2006 coup plot on Friday were deadlocked on whether or not the lesser charges against the group have prescribed and should be dropped.
I was reading an analysis “The Philippines:Counter-insurgency vs Counter-terrorism in Mindanao” when news of an explosion in Zamboanga City came in.
Two persons were confirmed dead while 23 others were injured. Investigators were looking at the possibility that Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants were involved in the attack.
The analysis I’m reading was precisely warning about this situation. It said that the Philippines is mixing up counter-insurgency with counter-terrorism “with dangerous implications for conflict in the region”.
Mukhang maayos itong si Leila de Lima, ang bagong chair ng Commission on Human Rights. Sana mabigyan ng katapat na aksyon ang kanyang mga sinasabi.