Judge Oscar Pimentel of Makati Regional Trial Court denied the petition of Trillanes to cancel promulgation of the coup d ‘etat case in the light of the amnesty proclamation. Promulgation today.
Some congressmen took time to explain their vote. Bayan Rep. Teddy Casiño said, “Patriots deserve freedom.”
While a number of them expressed the hope that it would be the last amnesty to military rebels they would have to concur with, Rep. Salvador Escudero said, “I pray that the present and future governments govern well” so as not to give reasons for members of the military to rebel.
San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito said, “it is ironic that those who stood for what they believed in were jailed while those who plundered this nation are freely roaming the country.”
Among the seven who voted “No” were Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo and Rep. Dato Arroyo, brother-in-law and son of Gloria Arroyo respectively.
Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada said today, they will transmit the concurence of the House to the Senate which concurred last week.
This is the first initiative of President Aquino which has been passed by Congress.
Atty Rey Robles, lawyer of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who remains in detention said today he will inform Judge Oscar Pimentel, in whose court the coup d’etat case against Trillanes et al is being tried, about the concurrence by Congress of the amnesty proclamation.
Robles said he will also ask Pimentel to cancel the promulgation of the case scheduled on Dec. 16.
Photo captions:
Photo 1.
Back row:Charmaine Deogracias, Danny Orfiano, Cash Cabochan,Berna Lomotan, Jonnel Sangalang, Ellen Tordesillas,Ariel Querubin, Baguio Rep. Bernardo Vergara (foster father of two of the officers), Eman Tirador,Filmore Rull, Cesar Tamba, Eugene Gonzales, James Layug, Sonny Sarmiento, Atty. Rey Robles
Front row: Spencer Lo,Ashley Acedillo, Jayvie Macarubo, Garry Alejano, Bem Pontejos, Pong Querubin, Jean Monteverde
Photo 2:
Back row:Jonnel Sangalang, Ellen Tordesillas, Filmore Rull, Eman Tirador, Ariel Querubin, Berna Lomotan, Arman Bañez, Sonny Sarmiento, Ashley Acedillo, Dan Orfiano.
Front row:Andy Torrato, Spencer Lo,Pong Querubin,Charmaine Deogracias,Eugene Gonzales, Bem Pontejos, Jean Monteverde.
***
House concurs with amnesty proclamation for rebel troops
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
House Concurrent Resolution No. 8, which tackles the revised Proclamation No. 75, was concurred in and adopted by 213 members of the House. A total of seven members voted against it, while two abstained.
The Senate’s concurrence came earlier last week in the plenary.
Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo Farinas, vice chairman of the justice committee, said he hopes this will be the last time that Congress will concur to any amnesty involving coup plotters.
“Never again shall we agree to any amnesty involving members of the Armed Forces because members of the Armed Forces are the only body authorized to bear arms,” Farinas said.
A provision in the proclamation states that that amnesty will take effect “upon concurrence of a majority of all members of the Congress.”
The implementing rules and regulations of the proclamation will be crafted by the Department of National Defense. Proclamation 75 now covers active and former personnel of the Philippine National Police who were involved in failed attempts to overthrow the Arroyo administration.
The old proclamation covers only members of the military and their supporters.
Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr., chairman of the justice committee, said 340 soldiers and enlisted personnel will benefit from the amnesty grant.
One of the beneficiaries of the proclamation is Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who is in jail on coup d’ etat charges.
The order will set up an “ad hoc committee” at the Department of National Defense, which will be tasked with “receiving and processing applications—including oppositions thereto, if any.”
The revised amnesty proclamation specifies that only mutineers ranked up to technical sergeant for the military and senior police officer 3 for the PNP will be eligible for reinstatement—provided that their application for amnesty is approved.
“However, they shall not be entitled to back pay during the time they have been discharged or suspended from the service or unable to perform their military or police duties,” it said.
According to the proclamation, those who will not be reinstated “shall be entitled to retirement and separation benefits, if qualified under existing laws and regulation, as of the time of their separation.”
The decision of the DND to grant or deny amnesty to a soldier or enlisted personnel may also be appealed before the Office of the President.
Approve na, yey! Lab kita ngayon PNoy, hehehe…
Kayo pala ang nasa photo, Ellen. Ang gaganda ng ngiti ninyo a! 🙂
Looks like Congress are willing to do what PNoy bids them.
Next task: legislate Freedom of Information.
Purpose: To prevent future mutinies.
Chi… hahahaha
🙂 Hip hip hourrah to Mr Aquino! And a big sampal to the midget and her family of thieves and liars!
Actually, this Philippine Congress is capable of being honourable when it wants to particularly when Gloria is not around. 😛
Ellen,
Please, could you please, post the names of the people in the picture? I can recognize a few faces but not all…
Does that mean that the junior officers, eg., Andy Torato and company cannot be reinstated? Bum, bum, bummer… There goes my candidate for the position of future FOIC PN! Bum! 🙁 🙁 🙁
Anyway, this is absolutely one honourable deed that Pres Aquino deserves praise for. It is one of the awful injustices committed by his awful and illega predecessor that he needed to correct.
He now has the eternal gratitude of these good men (and there aren’t many of them) who placed their faith in him and endured years of humiliation and hardship.
As Julius Caesar said, It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.
Hindi pa tapos ang laban. Sila ay lumaban konta kurakutan. Dapat si Gloria Arroyo at Jose Pidal Mafia ay nasa kulungan.
Anna, nobody can complain that we are not fair in our treatment of PNoy. hahaha!!!! Whenever he does an “honourable deed”, we praise him. When he listens to his palpak advisers, kinukurot natin. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ka Diego, kapag nakulong si Gloria at Jose Pidal, magpapa-party ako. hehehe!
Hahahhhaah! Go for it!
Walo na ba ang Arroyo sa Tongress? Kasi pito ang bumuto ng “NO”
Nag walk out si Aling Gloria kaya walo.”WAWA” naman pala awan na te kakampi ni Aling Gloria kundi Pamilya.
Pano yan ngayon? Tuloy na tuloy na ang paghanting ng mga Magdalo sa Arroyo.
## 11
imbita me Chi kapag nag paparty ka.Magbalot ako pauwi.Hahaha!
Sure, Cocoy. Imbita ko kayo lahat, huwag lang gawing unconstitutional ng Supreme Court ni Gloria ang imbitasyon ko. hahaha!
213 as to 7 votes, that should render the Arroyos and Imelda irrelevant na in tongress, di ba?
Ang gaganda ng mga ngiti ninyo. Sana nandyan na ako. Hahabol ako!
Congratulations to the detained. Ngayon, these freed men should make it their passion to clean up the governemnt and get to the bottom of the cheating operations of the midget and her court. Ngayon, I will stop calling the congress, tongress. There are over a 100 new congressmen, I heard. To all of the senators and congressmen who voted on this amnesty decree, THANKS a million! To Ellen and the other journalists who were always behind these gallant men, more power to all of you!
Senator Sonny Trillianes, time to kick the assess of these Arroyos. See, our congress can work without the grease money from the dirty hands of the midget. TSUPI ka midget at dalhin mo ang 6 na mga galamay mo. Now I feel better that this congress mena well to change the business as usual of receiving grease money from those in power.
Most of all, THANK YOU PNOY! I was skeptical on what Pnoy could do to free these men, now it is a reality.
It just makes me sad coz, the Magdalos who stood up with Sonny can no longer be re-instated into the military. I met a lot of these young and idealistic Magdalos, nanghihinayang ako sa mga kaalaman nila. But they can still re-invent their careers. This time, sana sa public service sila pumunta para matulungan nila si Pnoy at ang mga susunod na presidente para gumanda naman ang ating minamahal na bansa.
psb, okay lang yung mga bata pa, baka pag-agawan pa yan ng mga security-relate businesses. Pero yung medyo may edad na medyo mahirap, gaya ng mga NCOs. Alam mo namandito sa Pinas, pag 36 ka na at wala kang padrino, sori ka na lang.
Anyway, congrats uli sa lahat. Paki-paabot na lang kay sir, ha psb?
The Magdalo officers have no problem as far as employment is concerned. Many of them are now employed. One has put up an IT business and is in fact in need of more IT people.
PDEA wants more of them there because of the good performance of the first batch who joined the anti-drug agency.
Of course, some of them want to go back their first love, the military. But they realize it would be difficult because of the provision in the amnesty.
To me, it’s the loss of the military.
Makakarating Tongue!
Tongue, most of these Magdalos are as old or even younger than Sonny Trillianes. Some of them are just in their late 20s and early 30s. They can be assets to whoever can utilize them. Sobrang makabansa ang mga ito.
Best siguro kung i-utilize ni P-noy and mga Magdalos para sa crusade niya ng good governance. I-utilize sila para sa mga projects niya. This is kung hindi kaya ni Sonny na i-absorb silang lahat para sa mga projects niya sa senado. These Magdalos can be involved in policing the activities of the crooked politicians and those with illegal activities. Kasama na dyan yung mga kasamahan din nilang mga sundalo na lasing sa kapangyarihan, yung mga galamay ni midget na nandyan pa at naka-pwesto.
Ellen,
What about Faeldon? Can he avail of the amnesty too?
Chi…
Hahahah… He is entitled today to a reprieve. No kurots! 😀
hinarap ng maayos, kaya heto na ngayon, tapos! sa wakas, makakalaya na rin….mabuhay!
#22. yes, Anna. Capt Faeldon is included inthe lsit. He has said he will avail of the amnesty declaration.
More on #19 and 20:
James Layug is with the Office of House Speaker Sonny Belmonte. Among his work is the VFA review.
Dante Langkit and Ashley Acedillo are in the office of MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino helping in sorting out the mess in that messy organization.
Hope Danny Lim would takeover as the head of the country’s defense chief…
Merry Christmas to all!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Congratulations to all of them! And to our Ellen, Charmaine Deogracias and fellow journalists who courageously stayed with the Magdalos and Tanay boys during their darkest years in the Gloria Assperon’s rule.
Mabuhay kayong lahat!
Ellen, what will happen to Major Jason Aquino and the four (?) others who chose not to avail of the amnesty?
PSB, ang saya ng pasko ninyo! 🙂
Henry, pansinin mo, mukhang ngiting plebo on incoparation day… 🙂
mali, incorporation day
Chi, the court martial for the remaining 9 officers involved inthe 2006 alleged withdrawal of support from Arroyo has not been concluded yet. There’s a possibility that some, if not all, would be acquitted.
Maybe Maj. Aquino and others would be acquitted so they won’t need the amnesty. If acquitted, they would be back in service.
It’s really up to them. At least the amnesty is there for them to avail of or not.
Salamat Ellen. Mahal kasi natin sila lahat… thus the concern. 🙂
Ellen, idagdag ko lang si Ashley Acedillo sa front row, photo 1.
Chi, oo nga. Ito na siguro ang pinaka masayang pasko dahil after 4 years, malaya na sa wakas!
Salamat Ellen at sinusundan mo pa rin ang mga Magdalo. After all their sacrifices, mabuti naman at nasa maganda gandang pwesto yung iba. Sana lahat sila ay mailuklok sa magandang pwesto and succeed in their new careers.
Saan ba ang party ng mga Magdalo sa paglaya nila? Sana maabutan ko pa kung after December 25.
Paglaya nila, sabay nilang dalawin nila si Gloria at kanthan ng Xmas carols. 😛
To those who are now in gov’t service. Sana wag silang magpalamon sa maduming sistema. I remembered years back, yung mga RAM na naluklok sa pwesto, naging corrupt.
Ellen, medyo mahirap hirap yung napasukan nila Dante at Ashley ah. The new re-routing of the traffic was suggested long time ago by someone I know. Gawing one way ang mga daan para mas maganda ang flow ng traffic. Ang talagang sagabal dyan ay ang mga bus at jeepneys na umiistambay sa mga kalye para makakuha ng mga pasahero. Mahirap din talaga ang kalagayan ng transportation dahil yung mga businesses kung saan maraming mga pasahero ay sa isang tumpok lang. Mahirap din namang palakarin ng malayo ang mga pagod nang mga manggagawa.
Kasuhan na lang ng mga Magdala ng (Tort Civil) si Aling Gloria at Esperon for illegal arrest and detention.
Henry, pansinin mo, mukhang ngiting plebo on incorporation day… Jug
Kulang na lang ng head up at chin. . . hehehe. . .
May isang Senador ang bubuto ng “NO” sa Senado.Galit siya kay “Poster Boy” Bale Walo na silang Arroyo ang bumuto ng “NO”
May pakiusap ang mga Arroyo sa Magdalo. Kung maari raw ay pakilinis naman nila ang brig bago sila umalis kasi raw sila ang susunod na maging tenants.
I told you guys things will get better! they get better every year, not just because of new leaders but as a people we have an innate drive to be be better…though we may not always agree on the methods… 🙂
most of you have this “tough love” thing…it shows in how you treat the president, sabagay marami na ring naglalambing sa kanya…and hindi na din siya cute…hehehe
at least something positive came out of mendoza’s death…may he rest in peace… 🙁
…i wonder if we’ll also see light on the “missing people” too?
well, we are officially the BPO capital of the world (call centers) and we still hold the top position in banana exports…FDIs are high…the malls are full everyday…you can hardly find parking…
…not bad…
i was kidding with one of the tanay ex residents, i told him “see, no amount ang 4 years, parang kailan lang i got a call from ellen telling me you were here!” and he said “para sa yo, pero para sa akin ang tagal nun…” but we were still able to find something to laugh about, ate a meal that was supposedly for 4, and downed it with beer…while listening to a band playing skyline pigeon…
ellen, i may not agree with you all the time, but you were the one who broke the ice…salamat…and merry christmas!
justice is better late than never. good day for pinas. hope for better days ahead.
I like these wordings, ” Patriots deserve Freedom “, papa-ano yuong di patriotics ( katulad ng mga Tongressmen, di naman lahat, at iba ?…unang-una na sina Pidal and company ?..), anong gagawin sa kanila ?..exile o kulungan ( I think marami din diyan sa Comelec-Komolect, SC yata ?..Congratulations ki Pnoy, unti-unti mo nang pina-lilinaw ang liko-likong daan..makakatulong mo sila sa Paglilinis sa Maruming laro ng Politika sa Pilipinas.Ang karanasang Magdalo ay pagsubok na mayroon pang natitirang Maka-Diyos, Maka-Bayan at Maka-Taong mga sundalo sa AFP at PNP…saan grupo kaya sina assperon at kanyang mga kasanga ?…maka-mandag, at mukhang salapi o maka-pera ??… sana ang mga ito ay magsilbing aral sa mga susunod na PMA-yers at PNP-officers sa mga kabanatang darating sa gobyerno ng Bansang Pilipinas..Mas magiting at magaling ang maging PATRIOTS na nagmamahal sa bayan..
jug, tanggalin lang nya si Berto Romulo sa DFA double lab ko sya! hahaha!!!
Nakakawa naman si Mang Lauro pero maraming palpak ang NBI sa kaso ni Webb. Balik ang matanda sa simula, “sino ang pumatay sa aking mag-iina”. Life is tragic for this man.
Masaya na ang Magdalo at Tanay boys, at ang pamilyang Webb. Can we now request PNoy to move a little ahead and order de Lima to reinvestigate Lacson’s case? Palpak ang forensic ng kaso ni Ping, baka ma-acquit din. Si Lacson lang ang pag-asang malaki para makapagbigay ako ng party, ipakukulong kasi nya ang mag-asawang mandaraya, sinungaling at magnanakaw. 🙂
Rep. Salvador Escudero said, “I pray that the present and future governments govern well” so as not to give reasons for members of the military to rebel.
Agree to the max!
@SNV , #97
Much as I want a trial to be transparent, I would not agree to a live coverage too.
Magyayabang and magpapasikat lang ang mga huwes at mga abugado.
I’m with you on that Mike…the whole thing smacks of a generation’s entire judiciary’s bungling of the case.
Just the same, it’s difficult for a simple sailor like me to believe that there’s not one in the entire NBI who could have disagreed… or maybe just poor old me believing that there’s possibly at least one soul in the agency who would be professional enough to point out that it wouldn’t make sense to implicate Hubert Webb (inasmuch as he was in the US.)
Oh well… thanks all for engaging me in the discussion.
I was out the whole day. Was not able to post the story on the acquittal of Webb. I’ll create a post and transfer all the comments on this subject there.
Please post comments related to the Vizconde massacre to the next post.
“If it Don’t fit, You must acquit” Iyan ang American Justices. – cocoy
The slogan of OJ Simpson’s lawyer in the much celebrated murder trial case of OJ, kaya nanalo siya.
Noynoy’s Christmas gift to all the detained soldiers is by far the best gift ever to be received by anyone in such a situation. This will be their first Christmas in their homes and families after spending several years in carceration courtesy of Gloria and her Ass.
We join them in their celebration of their freedom and on this happy occasion.
To all of them, have a Merry Christmas!
Was wondering why Maj. Jason Aquino doesn’t want to avail of the amnesty? It said in the news that he is confident of being acquitted and would want to be back in the service. He can’t go back if he availed of the amnesty. But question is, if for some reason he was found guilty (knock on wood/ God forbid). What then???
Mike, I think because in case of acquittal, he can be reinstated.
@63: That’s one reason you need to have self-restraint on your negative tirades about PNoy. Maybe he’s got more good things in his holster to show for in the coming days, or weeks, maybe months. What doesn’t bode well for him are those irritants in his administration who makes him look so bad every now and then.
The 12 jurors on Orenthal James’ trial were not fit, and they should had been deemed all unfit. It was a wash.
Malusog na naman yung Baguio Congressman after being reelected. Last time I saw him when he was out of office for several years, he was losing weight. Ngayon,his belly shows life is indeed good again.
Tru Blue, which Baguio Congressman?
I suppose, Tru Blue refers to Rep. Vergara, the one in the picture.
Yung kambal ni Domogan is Bernie Vergara, left of Ariel Querubin. Btw, there is only one Baguio solon. Then again, with the mountain resort’s population rapidly multiplying…closer and closer to half-million, the ever toxic rhetoric will be: Baguio needs TWO congressmen…one can’t handle the job, mahihirapan kung isa lang. Mahirap my ass! wink! wink!
The city was designed for only 25 thousand residents.
Best siguro kung i-utilize ni P-noy and mga Magdalos para sa crusade niya ng good governance. – psb
Sabi ko nga gamitin niyang task force laban sa jueteng, kung maraming kokontra na naman dahil nagcreate na naman siya ng bagong opisina, e di kunin as private contractors.
Gusto naman nila pwedeng gamiting trainors ng TESDA para skills training ng security.
Kung may pera lang ako, aasembolin ko sila para mangontrata laban sa pirata sa Gulf of Aden. Milyon ang ginagastos ng shippers diyan para sa ransom.
Tongue, kung babagal bagal si Pnoy baka ibang bansa pa ang makakuha sa mga magigiting na ito. Lalo na ngayon at may amnesty na sila. Wala na silang mga kaso. They are good catch. Ang UN palaging naghahanap ng mga katulad nila and they can be compensated very well.
I also attended several Magdalo inductions when I was there. Before they were inducted, may mga seminars pa sila on community involvement, ethics and the like. Ibang iba ang mga members nila kaya lang they have to be very careful with their recruitment. Kailangang masala ng mabuti ang mga gustong pumasok and they should background check their incoming memebers. It is better to have just a few QUALITY members.
May mga Magdalo na magagaling mag training. I was awed by some of them. Kaya nga I could say that most of the Magdalos I met were a different breed. Kung ang mga ibang Madalos eh katulad ng mga nakahalubilo ko, Sonny is very lucky indeed! Pastulan lang niya yung mga magagaling and they will be his asset in the future. If they can concertedly effect changes in the communities, malaking tulong sa bansa natin. More power to them!