Military – Page 57 – ellen tordesillas

Soldiers as Citizens

Published by Ellen on April 17, 2007

Open letter to my friends

by Francisco Nemenzo
Professor Emeritus and former President
University of the Philippines

In countries with stable political parties that offer alternative policies and programs, responsible voters take time to study the platforms of competing parties. But in the Philippines, this is a futile exercise. Here the platforms are meaningless documents usually crafted by paid campaign strategists who try to please everyone with glittering ambiguities. They do not tell us what the candidates intend to do but only what they think we want to hear.

Trillanes granted media access

Published by Ellen on April 17, 2007

Makati Regional Trial Court Judge Oscar Pimentel granted the request of detained Ltsg Antonio Trillanes IV, senatorial candidate of the Genuine Opposition, to allow media to have access to him in his detention cell.

The permission has set conditions like request should be made three days prior to the interview and questions should be submitted.

That’s not exactly okay but we have to count our blessings as of now. The fight for genuine freedom goes on.

Lies moms have to tell detained officers’ kids

Published by Ellen on April 15, 2007

“THE lies that we have to say just to protect them.”

Jopay Sales related a story about her three-year-old twins, Frances Danielle and Daniel Francis, showing how the detention of her husband, Capt. Frederick Sales, has taken a toll on their family life.

A week before their graduation from nursery school last month, Frances and Daniel were in their school bus. Everybody was excited about the graduation ceremonies. The kids were looking forward to their parents going up the stage with them, especially those who would be receiving awards.

Gross,clear, grave injustice

Published by Ellen on April 12, 2007

More photos of April 10 hearing in Tanay. Click on photos to enlarge:

The case of 2nd Lts. Caesar Daen and Percival Alcanar, who were unjustly accused of participating in the Oakwood mutiny and imprisoned for four years, only for the military to admit last Wednesday that their evidence is weak, shows the stupidity and inhumanity of this administration.

Last Wednesday, the military court presided by Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Legazpi which is trying the case of the Magdalo soldiers in connection with what is called the Oakwood mutiny on July 27, 2003, said it was “with a deep sense of justice” that they were dismissing charges against Daen and Alcanar because the “evidence is manifestly weak.”

Nanindigan ang magkambal na Langkit

Published by Ellen on April 11, 2007

May puso at konsyensa ba itong si Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, AFP chief of staff?

Lumabas na ngayon ang gusto niyang mangyari sa kanyang pag-bartolina kay Capt. Dante Langkit ng sampung buwan. At ito ay para mapilitan ang batang opisyal na mag-traidor sa kanyang mga kasamahan, lalo na kay Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim.

Sinabi noong Martes ni Danzel Langkit, kambal ni Capt. Langkit, pinasabi ni Esperon na papayagan si Dante makalaya para magkandidato kung mag-state witness siya. Ibig sabihin, idiin ni Dante ang kanyang mga kapwa akusadong opisyal sa kanilang bintang na mutinyo pag-alsa laban kay Gloria Arroyo.

Absurdities in Magdalo case

Published by Ellen on April 11, 2007

After four years in jail, Army 2Lts Ceasar Daen nd Percival Alcanar, walked free this morning and returned to regular duties after the court martial admitted that the evidence against the two young officers was “manifestly weak.”

The panel hearing the case on the Oakwood mutiny said “it is with deep sense of justice” that they were dropping charges against Daen and Alcanar, who were never near Oakwood on July 27, 2003.

Why it took them almost four years to find that out reflects the inhumanity and stupidity of the military under the Arroyo administration.

Esperon offered Langkit liberty if he turns against co-accused

Published by Ellen on April 10, 2007

by Victor Reyes

CAMP Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal – Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has offered liberty to Army Capt. Dante Langkit, one of those implicated in last year’s failed coup, in exchange for turning state witness, Langkit’s twin brother claimed yesterday.

Interviewed at the sidelines of the ongoing court martial of the suspected coup plotters, Dante’s twin Danzel said Esperon made the offer through his executive assistant, Col. Daniel Lucero, last March 26.

“The executive assistant said that (offer) was from Gen. Esperon. In exchange for (Dante’s) release, he has to turn state witness against the group of Gen. (Danilo) Lim,” Danzel said.
Lim, erstwhile commander of the First Scout Ranger Regiment; and former Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda reportedly planned to lead their men to the Edsa Shrine on Feb. 24, 2006 where they would withdraw support from President Arroyo. The alleged plan was foiled when the AFP leadership detained Lim hours before the planned march to Edsa.

Lawyers walk out of “kangaroo” court

Published by Ellen on April 10, 2007

Click on photos:

Lawyers of the 28 military officers accused of plotting a coup against Gloria Arroyo in February 2006 walked out of the court martial hearng in Camp Capinpin in Tanay Rizal this morning after the panel dismissed their motion to defer the proceedings until the Supreme Court decides on their petition for temporary restraining order and release of the accused from detention.

Frank Chavez, lawyer for Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and Maj. Jason Aquino, who led the walkout said he has come to a point where he has given up hope for justice from the panel. “It is a kangaroo court, “Chavez said.

Hustisya para sa marangal

Published by Ellen on April 9, 2007

Nitong mga nakaraang Semana Santa, pinalabas ni Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, ang sulat sa kanya ng kanyang tatay na si Ninoy mula sa kulungan sa Fort Bonifacio.

Ang petsa ay August 25, 1973. Umiiral noon ang Martial Law. Inakusahan ni Marcos si Ninoy ng possession of illegal firearms at paglabag ng anti-subversion law na kamatayan ang parusa.

Nagdesisyon si Ninoy na hindi lumahok sa hearing na alam niya ang moro-moro lamang dahil kung ano ang gusto ni Marcos, yun ang mangyayari. Sabi niya sa sulat kay Noynoy, “Ito ay aking protesta sa kawalang hustisya na pinapairal ngayon. Maliit man itong aking aksyon, ito ang pinakahuli kung paglaban sa paniniil at diktatorya.”

Officers fight for justice

Published by Ellen on April 3, 2007

It was most fitting that Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim’s petition before the Supreme Court, through his lawyer Vicente Verdadero, to stop the special general court martial convened to try him, Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and 26 other marine and army officers for the alleged coup plot in February 2006, started with the statement:

“The fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution apply to all persons, including those subject to military law. It would indeed be paradoxical if military men who are called upon in times of the gravest national crises to lay down their lives in defense of peace and freedom would be the very people to be singled out for denial of the fundamental rights for which they risk their lives.”

Miranda, Lim, Col. Armando Bañez, Maj. Jose Leomar Doctolero, and Capt. William Upano, who are now detained in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, also asked the High Court for their release. The officers have been accused of either one or two or all of the following violations of the Articles of War: mutiny, disrespect towards the president, willfully disobeying order, and conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline.

Category: Military