Feb ’06 – Page 2 – ellen tordesillas

11 cleared officers walk out of detention

Published by Ellen on November 3, 2009

by Victor Reyes
Malaya

The Armed Forces yesterday released from detention 11 Army and Marines officers who were recently cleared of mutiny charges in connection with an alleged plan to overthrow the Arroyo government in February 2006.

The release order was signed on October 30 by Lt. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang, AFP vice chief who was acting chief at that time. AFP chief Gen. Victor Ibrado was then in Hawaii attending a meeting of armed forces chiefs in the Pacific.

Maclang consulted Ibrado before signing the order.

Miranda, Lim, Querubin and 14 others won’t be released

Published by Ellen on October 27, 2009

by Victor Reyes
Malaya

A military court yesterday denied a motion of 17 military > officers, including two senatoriables, to dismiss the mutiny charges filed against them in connection with the alleged plan to overthrow the Arroyo government in February 2006.

The court did not buy into the contention of the accused, through their counsels, that the prosecution’s evidence against them are weak to sustain the charge of violation of
Article of war 67 (mutiny).

“After due deliberation, the court resolved to deny the motion of the accused,” said the ruling, read by law member Col. Marian Aleido, in dismissing the motion for finding of
not guilty.

Prosecution blocks release of 11 acquitted officers

Published by Ellen on October 26, 2009

The prosecution in the court martial of the 28 officers charged with mutiny in connection with the February 2006 alleged withdrawal of support from Gloria Arroyo is blocking the release of the 11 officers acquitted last Oct. 15.

Trial Judge Advocate Lt. Col. Feliciano Loy said last Oct. 21, he asked for the nullification of the court’s decision acquitting the 11 of the 28 respondents and moved to “reopen to adduce additional evidence.”

Loy said in his motion, he said the court headed by Maj. Gen. Jogy Fojas denied the prosecution due process when it ruled on the motion of the defendants for a ruling of not guilty on the same day the accused submitted their respective “Motion for the Finding of Not Guilty.”

Hustisya para sa 40 na tinanggal

Published by Ellen on October 17, 2009

Nag-apela si Capt Ruben Guinolbay kay AFP Chief Victor Ibrado na kung maari ibalik rin sa serbisyo ang 40 na enlisted men na tinanggal sa serbisyo sa paratang na kasama raw sila planong magwithdraw ng suporta kay Gloria Arroyo noong Pebrero 2006.

Si Guinolbay ay isa sa 11 opisyal na napawalang-sala noong Huwebes ng court martial na naglilitis sa 28 opisyal na inakusahan ng mutiny o umalsa laban sa pamahalaan ni Gloria Arroyo noong Pebrero 2006.

Pagkatapos ng tatlo at kalahating taon na paglilitis na ang mga akusado ay nakakulong, sinabi ng korte na walang ebidensya laban sa kanila. Ni minsan hindi man lamang sila nabanggit sa kung anong dokumento o testimonya ng mga testigo na naipresenta sa court martial.

11 cleared of mutiny charges

Published by Ellen on October 15, 2009

(Sitting)Lt. Col Malabanjot, Col. Caringal, Lt. Col. Flordeliza

(Standing) Capt. Guinolbay, Maj. Fernandez,Capt. Sales, Capt. Aurino, 1Lt Sereño, 1Lt Caballes, 1Lt Divinagracia, 1Lt Cordero.

Ruling on 17 remaining defendants deferred

by Victor Reyes
Malaya

A military tribunal yesterday cleared 11 of the 28 military officers facing court martial for the alleged attempt to overthrow the Arroyo administration in February 2006.

Statement of the Magdalo group of officers who are also in detention for the Oakwood and Manila Pen incidents:

We welcome the acquittal of 11 of our brother AFP officers who have languished for more than three years, unjustly detained in several military camps.

We laud the efforts of their defense lawyers, who stuck by these officers despite great odds.

But most of all, we raise our hats to these fine officers and gentlemen, for their unflagging devotion to their principles, and wish them all the best as they continue their service to God and country.

For our other brother officers and lone sister officer still facing the bar of justice, we urge you to stand fast and stay the course.

We sincerely hope that the AFP acts with extreme urgency and utmost fairness in finally bringing the matter to a just and humane conclusion.

Two Marine and nine Army officers were acquitted for lack of evidence.

How is democracy defended?

Published by Ellen on September 24, 2009

How does one defend democracy?

By aiding in the tampering of results of election so that your candidate will be declared winner even if she was not elected by the people? Or by joining the people who demand accountability from government officials who subverted the will of the people?

This is the question that face the panel trying the 28 officers accused of mutiny for something that did not happen in February 2006 after former AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon claimed “defense of democracy” in his decision to incarcerate the officers even as he continues serve an unelected president.

I caught up with what happened during the court martial hearing last Wednesday through the VERA files video report.

VERA Files video: court martial face-off

Published by Ellen on September 23, 2009

by Tessa Jamandre
VERA Files

The mutiny case against the 28 officers in connection with the alleged February 2006 plot to withdraw support from President Gloria Arroyo is on its final stretch.

The prosecution presented on Wednesday its last and most important witness. Presidential Management Staff chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr., who was Armed Forces Chief of Staff at the time, had ordered the detention of the 28 officers—nine from the Marines led by their commandant, Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, and 19 Army Scout Rangers led by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim.

Click here (VERA Files) for the video and the full report.

It was a conspiracy to grab power, Esperon tells court martial

by Victor Reyes
Malaya

Former Armed Forces chief Gen. (ret.) Hermogenes Esperon, testifying for the prosecution, yesterday said the officers implicated in the alleged attempt to overthrow the Arroyo government in February 2006 conspired with other quarters to grab power.

The 1989 coup and the February 2006 non-event

Published by Ellen on August 4, 2009

by Tessa Jamandre VERA Files Now it can be told. On Feb. 24, 2006, on the 20th anniversary of People Power, former President Corazon Aquino…

The Cory years

Published by Ellen on August 1, 2009

by Chit Estela VERA Files For someone who had undergone much sorrow and pain, Corazon Aquino laughed easily and well. People unaccustomed to hearing the…

Prosecution witness favors defendants

Published by Ellen on July 17, 2009

Former Flag-officer-in-command Mateo Mayuga was the only witness presented by the prosecution yesterday in the mutiny case against 28 officers implicated in the alleged plan to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006.

Mayuga’s testimony however favored the defendants.

Mayuga, who is more known for the “Mayuga report”- an investigation of the participation of the military in the cheating in the 2004 elections, the results of which have been kept secret by the Arroyo administration, testified about the meeting on Feb. 23, 2006 called by the AFP Chief Generoso Senga.

Category: Feb ’06