Military – Page 60 – ellen tordesillas

Why hide the Melo Commission report?

Published by Ellen on February 16, 2007

Gloria Arroyo always talks about transparency. Read this brilliant piece by Raul Pangalangan, columnist of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

Malacañang created the Melo Commission to inquire into extrajudicial executions, but won’t show the Melo Report to the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions.Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita declares that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo supports the UN inquiry “for purposes of transparency, to show them that the [Arroyo] government is doing everything to address [the killings].” But apparently “everything” does not include showing the Melo Report — not to the United Nations, not to the European Union, which has expressed its alarm at the unabated killings, and certainly not to the Filipino people.

Trillanes files candidacy

Published by Ellen on February 6, 2007

From Malaya:

Accused mutiny leader Lt. (s.g.) Antonio Trillanes IV yesterday filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator at the office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila.

With the filing, the military said Trillanes is deemed separated from service.

He will not be allowed to go out of his detention cell in Fort Bonifacio to campaign because the military retains jurisdiction over him. If he wins in the senatorial race, the military court will continue trying him.

Quarters of detained major broken into; rifle, laptop taken

Published by Ellen on February 5, 2007

THE quarters of detained Army Maj. Jason Aquino in Camp Aguinaldo was ransacked Saturday noon by unidentified persons who carted away a military-issued baby Armalite and a laptop computer, among other items.

Aquino’s wife, Maria Fe, said nobody was home when the intrusion happened because she and her daughters left the house at about 10 a.m. They were surprised to see their things scattered when they returned about 2 p.m.

“I don’t believe it’s a simple theft,” she said, saying their family quarters, Unit 668 on Arevalo street, is inside a military camp. The compound with 10 units has only one entry and exit gate with a guard post outside.

Govt paid P450,000 to MNLF

Published by Ellen on February 5, 2007

Update: Gen. Dolorfino admits before the Commission on Appointments they were both hostaged and hosted. CA approved his promotion. Click here.

Was it Ransom for the release of Gen. Dolorfino? Or was it compensation for kin of fatalities in clashes?

What is certain says Regino Bengco, Malaya’s Malacañang reporter, is that government gave money to the MNLF. Here’s Bengco’s report:

Government negotiators yesterday said they gave money to the Moro National Liberation Front but said it was for relatives of MNLF fighters slain during mis-encounters last month, and not for the release from “restraint” of a general and several companions held for two days in an MNLF camp in Sulu.

Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on the peace process, confirmed the payment during a press briefing in Malacañang after he, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Benjamin Dolorfino, and peace process undersecretary Ramon Santos made a courtesy call to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

Reports said that “goodwill money” of P450,000 was given to the MNLF.

Continue readingGovt paid P450,000 to MNLF

The problem is Ebdane

Published by Ellen on February 4, 2007

Gloria Arroyo’s ever reliable operator Hermogenes Ebdane asked the correct question, “What’s your problem?” during his first press conference as defense secretary last Thursday.

But he was wrong in directing that question to Charmaine Deogracias of NHK TV, who asked a legitimate question about how allowing soldiers to transport election materials would affect the objective of insulating the military from politics. Ebdane should have directed the question at himself.

We could have helped him answer that question by playing the Hello Garci tapes, particularly the June 5, 2004 5:01 p.m. part where former Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano was giving instructions to a certain “Boy”.

AFP maintains “no hostaging” line

Published by Ellen on February 4, 2007

From Malaya:

MNLF ‘frees’ general

Demand for international meet on 1996 peace pact is met

by Victor Reyes

MORO National Liberation Front members sympathetic to detained former leader Nur Misuari yesterday released a Marine general and several companions who they “held” for two days following a dialogue in their stronghold in Sulu.

Maj. Gen. Ben Mohammad Dolorfino, commander of the National Capital Region Command, left the MNLF base in Bitan-ag complex in Panamao town around 3:40 p.m., hours after sharing a lunch of roast calf with the MNLF group led by Ustadz Habier Malik.

Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on the peace process, said confusion and misinformation about a tripartite meeting among government, the MNLF and the Organization of Islamic Conference prolonged the stay of Dolorfino at the MNLF camp.

Hostaged general and companions to be released today

Published by Ellen on February 3, 2007

Here’s Julie Alipala’s latest for the Inquirer on Marine Major General Benjamin Dolorfino and Defense Undersecretary Ramon Santos and their companions who were hostaged by MNLF rebels Friday.

Muslim rebels holding Brig. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino and members of his peace mission have agreed to release their hostages Sunday.

Dolorfino said last night this was agreed on between Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza and the Moro group led by Ustadz Habier Malik.

“We can breathe easier now that we can go home,” Dolorfino told the Inquirer.

He said Malik agreed to release them after receiving assurances from the Organization of Islamic Conference that the planned meeting between the OIC, the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front to discuss the implementation of the RP-MNLF peace agreement would push through in March. The MNLF expects its detained leader, Nur Misuari, to head its delegation to the talks planned to be held in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon denied that Dolorfino and Santos are being held hostage by the Moro National Liberation Front rebels. In his text message to reporters, Esperon said, “No. It’s a dialog. Dats why Dolorfino went there yesterday with Usec Santos of OPAPP.”

Detention takes its toll

Published by Ellen on January 28, 2007

In the last hearing of the court martial panel trying 28 military officers for their alleged plan to withdraw support from the bogus presidency of Gloria Arroyo in February last year, notably absent were Col. Januario Caringal and Lt. Col. Custodio Parcon, both of the Philippine Marines.

The two officers were sick. Caringal , former deputy commander of the 2nd Marine Brigade, has been at the AFP Philippines Medical Center (former V. Luna Hospital) in Quezon City from his detention quarters in Fort San Felipe in Cavite since November . He was suffering from acute hepatitis B and hypertension.

Parcon, a medal of valor awardee, is detained at Fort San Felipe in Cavite. In the Jan. 18 hearing, he was represented by his counsel, Alex Lacson, who was his classmate at the Philippine Military Academy.

Col. Ariel Querubin, another medal of valor awardee, almost didn’t make it to the hearing in Camp Capinpin in Tanay too. A few days before last Christmas, Querubin was confined at the Cavite Naval Hospital due to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, fluctuating sugar levels, and high uric acid.

Esperon in suit in a military activity shocks other officers

Published by Ellen on January 26, 2007

I got this message from an officer who was flabbergasted seeing AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon in a suit during the thanksgiving dinner in…

Military justice on trial

Published by Ellen on January 21, 2007

No wonder Trial Judge Advocate General Ukol Paglala was laughing nervously all throughout the court martial proceedings last Thursday in Camp Capinpin in Tanay of 28 officers linked to the February 2006 coup lot against Gloria Arroyo.

He was caught in a difficult situation. The lawyers of the accused officers were demanding a copy of the pre-trial investigation (PTI) report on the February incident which Esperon had said was the basis of his decision to try the officers for mutiny before a military tribunal.

Had Paglala released the PTI as due process requires, he would have exposed his superior, AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, as not exactly telling the truth.

Category: Military