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Tag: Feb 2006

Prosecution blocks release of 11 acquitted officers

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.”

Eye to eye contact

Maj. Gen. John Martir’s appearance at the court martial hearing last Tuesday of the mutiny case against 28 officers led by Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and Brig. Gen. Danny Lim was enlivened by side incidents. Otherwise, it was boooring.

Before Martir was brought in, the nine accused Marine officers namely Maj. Gen Renato Miranda;Col Ariel Querubin; Col Januario Caringal; Col Orlando de Leon; Col Armand Bañez; Lt.Col Custodio Parcon;.Lt. Col. Achilles Segumallian; Maj Domingo Fernandez; and Lt Belinda Ferrer, the lone military female detainee, positioned themselves in front of the defense lawyers directly opposite the witness who would be sitting near the end of the panel’s table.

In the courtroom at the Daza Park, the accused are seated together enclosed by steel railings in the middle of the room. Some ten feet away from them are members of the panel seated behind a long table in an elevated portion of the room. Between the accused and the panel members are the lawyers seated on opposite sides.