By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net
One of 28 officers on trial for what government claims was a failed February 2006 uprising reminded his fellow soldiers to “serve the country, not Malacañang” amid rumors of a fresh plot to topple the government.
In a statement addressed to soldiers, policemen, and everyone in government service, Army Major Jason Aquino said: “Huwag tayong pumayag na maging instrumento sa katiwalian, intimidasyon at pananakot, pananakit at pang-aapi laban sa taong bayan na siyant tunay nating pinagsisilbihan. (“Let us not allow ourselves to be instruments of corruption, intimidation, fear, hurt, and oppression against the people that we truly serve.”)
The statement was passed to reporters.
“Isaisip at isapuso at isagawa na ang serbisyo publiko at serbisyo militar ay laging apra sa bayan at hindi para sa Malacañang.” ( Let us bear in our minds and hearts that public service and the military service is for the country, not for Malacañang),” Aquino said.
Troops have been alerted to possible destabilization plots that could be timed with the verdict on the plunder case against deposed president Joseph Estrada on June 12.
Officials also said recent heavy military losses in Basilan and Sulu against the Abu Sayyaf, where 57 soldiers have been killed since July 10, could also be used by anti-government forces to agitate the troops.
Aquino is the former operations officer of ex-Army Scout Rangers commander Brigadier General Danilo Lim, who allegedly distributed pamphlets entitled “The New Order” calling on soldiers to establish a new political system.
Lim and Marine Colonel Ariel Querubin allegedly planned to lead soldiers in a mass withdrawal of support from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on February 24, 2006, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the 1986 popular uprising that toppled the Marcos dictatorship.
Querubin also led a standoff at Marine headquarters in Fort Bonifacio two days later to protest the sudden relief of their commandant, Major General Renato Miranda, who allegedly knew of the plot to unseat Arroyo.
During the resumption of hearings of the court martial on the mutiny charges against the 28 officers at Camp Capinpin in Tanay town, Rizal province on Friday, the accused ejected five court presidents through a peremptory challenge.
Before the hearing adjourned, Major General Jogy Fojas, deputy chief of staff for operations, was installed as court president.
Aquino’s family recently cried harassment after his quarters in Camp Aguinaldo was ransacked thrice.
Can the “..cutting off their cellular phone signals ..” happen without the cooperation of service providers like Globe or Smart ? Can’t help but wonder.
The constitutional mandate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is the protector of the people and the State.
Gloria Arroyo is not the State and illegitimate president of the republic. Her claimed mandate was a result of systematic electoral fraud and massive corruption. The military, police, courts of justice and constitutional bodies-Commission on Elections and Commission on Audit should not be the instruments to suppress civil liberties, and cover-up fraud and corruption allegedly committed by congenital liar Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts. The rule of law is being prostituted and manipulated for Gloria’s own political survival.
I’m glad that Major Aquino is proving himself to form. At least, he’s proving that not all Philippine soldiers have become he proverbial sundalong kanin that my mother, a grandniece of the Luna brothers, deplores.
This is what I have been advocating for as a matter of fact, and reason why I am in this blog, and blogging in to the hilt even in my real name. No need to be afraid because I know I am right.
There is no need to patronize a criminal as a matter of fact. With the unano saying sorry and admitting “lapse of judgment” for calling up a commissioner of the Comelec before, during and after election in 2004 in violation of a provision of the law aside from the fact that she has squandered public funds, etc., as one who has worked for the police and court in Japan, I thought this made this creep a criminal who should be arrrested, prosecuted and sent to jail.
Yes, soldiers like Major Aquino, et al, need not follow this creep, but help in putting criminals like her to prison, and better still, shoot her ala-Nicolae Ceauşescu!
Yes, not just the soldiers of the much demoralized AFP, but the people of the Philippines should not be saddled with this criminal and her cohorts not dominating all branches of the Philippine government.
Sipain na, now na! Pihado hihirit na naman ang mga tangahanga ni Pandak! Ok lang!
Diego K. Guerrero said:
“The military, police, courts of justice and constitutional bodies-Commission on Elections and Commission on Audit should not be the instruments to suppress civil liberties, and cover-up fraud and corruption allegedly committed by congenital liar Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts.”
It looks as if this freak of a womans control is even deeper to involve not just government institutions but also the business sector such as Smart & Globe according to Senate inquiry witness yesterday.
” Let us bear in our minds and hearts that public service and the military service is for the country, not for Malacañang.” – Major Aquino
This statement should be printed on a thick piece of wood and then ipalo sa tuktok ni Esperon!
Attaboy, Major Aquino! You remind me of those Filipino guerrillas left to fend for themselves to defend the Philippines from the enemies in WWII.
“Para sa bayan para lumaya,” said a former Philippine guerrilla featured in a documentary shown in Japanese TV last month in commemoration of the end of WWII. I did the subtitles for that documentary as a matter of fact.
When MacArthur left with US troops, and none left except those in concentration camps like General Wainright, who signed the surrender of the Philippines to the Japanese in 1942, Filipino soldiers banded together and started recruiting other Filipino patriots to continue the fight and struggle for freedom until MacArthur could fulfill his promise of “I shall return!”
What many Filipinos do not know in fact is that these Filipino soldiers weakened Japanese position more than anybody else, and by the time the Americans returned to the Philippines, the enemies actually were too weak to defend themselves from being totally annihilated.
Unfortunately, too much adulation of America after the war left these Philippine heroes unrecognized. Just watch those old movies on the war in the Philippines starring even John Wayne, Tyrone Power, etc. Hollywood biggies. Kahit sa sarili nilang bansa, second-class pa rin silang mga pilipino!!!
Time to change this attitude as a matter of fact. I take my hat off to this new breed of Philippine soldiers, who think and feel Filipino unlike the Filipino soldiers in WWII, who were actually fighting the enemies for America with the Philippines being still a US territory then.
At least, Major Aquino, et al have only one allegiance, and that is, to the Filipino flag!!! Iyan ang tunay na sundalo!
Mabuhay ka, Major Aquino pati na ang iba pang mga kasama mo!
Anna: This statement should be printed on a thick piece of wood and then ipalo sa tuktok ni Esperon!
******
Amen. Mauna ka, Anna, susunod ako!!! 😛
Mas maganda siguro kung iukit natin iyon sa noo ni Esperon para maaalala niya tuwing magsasalamin siya.
Parang mark ni Lord Valdemort sa noon ni Harry Potter ha? Itato na lang gaya noong mga tato sa katawan ni Angelina Jolie! Problema, papayag ba si Esperon?
Come to think of it, sino ang sisipa sa kanila? Puro utos. Sabi sa TV noon.
Sipain na, now na! Pihado hihirit na naman ang mga tangahanga ni Pandak! Ok lang!
Pag namatay na ‘yung mga alipores ni Unano, dapat isulat sa tombstone ang “Served Arroyo, not country!” Abaw, they’re a dozen or more, kaya!
Anna,
Aside from ihambalos kay Espweron, gawin na ring lapida sa tomb niya! Serves him right!
Magandang business iyan, Elvie. Ang dami nilang binayaran, including the tongressmen and senatong defending the unano. Kung 1,000 pesos ang bawat isang epitaph, milyon na ang kikitahin mo including tax, bawi na ang ninakaw nila sa gobyerno!
Sabi ko na nga sa inyo, iniintay ko noong June si Esperon sa Paris Air Show – may inahanda pa nga akong placard pero di dumating; buti na lang, lucky siya, kung hindi baka inihampas ko iyong placard ko sa ulo niya…
Heheheh!
Sabi ni Tongue, “Mas maganda siguro kung iukit natin iyon sa noo ni Esperon para maaalala niya tuwing magsasalamin siya.”
Sige, may chisel ako dito…
This statement should be published sa lahat ng newspapers..Tiktik included hangang sawa..iukit sa mga punong kahoy..ang salitang- serve the country not pekeng presidente..distribute flyers all over and in local dialects, panawagan sa TV, at radio..puede naman i xerox..kung bawat isa ay mag xerox kahit na 50 copies lang
(magkano ba naman yan) sa bawat towns in all provinces malayo din ang mararating sa mensaheng ito..
Yuko: There was a movie years back with Rosalind Russell and taken in Japan where this line was said..”if you are right and you stand for what is right you have the majority of one.” I forgot the title..maybe The Majority of One, or it could be “Sayonara” or “Teahouse in the August Moon”..
It was after I left the service that I formed a firm belief that the idealism Major Aquino exemplified starts to fade when the rank of Navy Captain (Colonel in other branches) is attained. At that stage, ambition to reach the stars becomes paramount. But to obtain the first glittering star to affix on the epaulet (French épaulette) one has to make sacrifices, predominantly servility to a politician, preferably a powerful pillar of the ruling party. At that point the Mistah code of Courage, Integrity and Loyalty is an encumbrance, a liability that needs to be trashed. Only a few retain the virtue of Integrity.One only has to glance at the current roster of the AFP to validate this belief.
Re: “has to make sacrifices, predominantly servility to a politician, preferably a powerful pillar of the ruling party”
So true neonate.
When a Senator or a very very influential congressman asks a military officer to become his/her military assistant, that military officer has to be prepared to do anything, virtually anything (in fairness to these officers, don’t know or can’t say though if they’d accept to commit murder though for their politician master’) – I’ve met some of these officers attached to the office of an elected member of Congress use his position to to get or use things from his service command, eg, gazoline, personnel, vehicle, boat, chopper, etc.
It is a known fact that every senior officer seeks a political patron or padrino to help him get up the military ladder.
I’ve seen this once too often and have witnessed some officers go out of their way to ingratiate himself to a politican.
When General Abu went to Oakwood for a show of force with the Magdalos, he did it not only because it was his job but because it would put him at the forefront. One of his classmates refuted his role there, saying that he overacted – his declarations to media were unecessary because things were almost under control with the negotiating panel; matter of fact, one of the officers who met with the Magdalo to discuss their grievances was not Abu but one junior officer from the Navy, a clasmate of Trillanes. This officer did lots – his name was never revealed – for the negotiations to come to fruition!
Ooops, “one of the officers who met with the Magdalo to discuss their grievances was not CIMATU but one junior officer from the Navy, who served as military assistant to a senator.”
Ellen,
Trillanes met with one of his superiors following his meeting with Gloria (before he signed the waiver for his release just before the Oakwood mutiny), this officer got so mad at him during their meeting and said to Trillanes, “Putang-ina mo, bakit di ka nakipagusap sa akin (meaning, ‘may grievances ka pala’)? Gusto mo bang ibato ko sa iyo itong ring na ito? (PMA signet ring.)
For instance, Benjie Defensor was lt colonel when he was military assistant to former Congressman Jose Yap of Tarlac. After that Defensor became asst chief of staff for plans (A-5).
Plans (A5, N5, G5) is a very good position to be in – easy to get promoted from there to field command (promotion to 1st star assured), an assignment that then gives the officer great fighting chance to be a candidate to GHQ AFP that will give him a 2nd star, a step towards major service command post.
Rex Robles, the ‘defender’ of the Magdalos, used to be one of the aides of former DND Sec Juan Ponce Enrile; he also became N-5 (Navy) but blew his chances because his FOIC didn’t like him; also I believe because he didn’t have a command badge otherwise known as a “sea cat” as opposed to sea dog.
Ang sabi nga sa akin ng kakilala kong PMAer – sila daw pag graduate ay 2nd Lt..after 4 years lst Lt. .after 4 yers Capt. Pag Capt. ka na daw kumapit kana sa isang malakas na politician para mabilis ang pagtaas ng ranko mo..o kaya mag volunteer ka for combat duty? Ang sabi ko at least, may promotion ka na aasahan..ang janitor sa office namin nagsimula na janitor magreretire na janitor..
Ang sabi nga sa akin ng kakilala kong PMAer – sila daw pag graduate ay 2nd Lt..after 4 years lst Lt. .after 4 yers Capt. Pag Capt. ka na daw kumapit kana sa isang malakas na politician para mabilis ang pagtaas ng ranko mo..o kaya mag volunteer ka for combat duty? Ang sabi ko at least, may promotion ka na aasahan..ang janitor sa office namin nagsimula na janitor magreretire na janitor..
“Huwag tayong pumayag na maging instrumento sa katiwalian, intimidasyon at pananakot, pananakit at pang-aapi laban sa taong bayan na siyang tunay nating pinagsisilbihan.
***
Thank you, Major Aquino. Naiiyak ako sa sinabi mo.
Malapit ng matigok si Gloria, antay lang kayo ng konti pa.
“..cutting off their cellular phone signals ..”
Not surprising, Gloria can just order Telecom to cut services of the providers if they don’t follow her, so follow na lang sila.
AdeBrux Says:
September 8th, 2007 at 3:15 am
” Let us bear in our minds and hearts that public service and the military service is for the country, not for Malacañang.” – Major Aquino
This statement should be printed on a thick piece of wood and then ipalo sa tuktok ni Esperon!
***
Yahahhahah! Ngayon na, Now na!
“serve the country not pekeng presidente”
Rose,
Oks na oks ‘yan a. Isulat sa flyers at isabog sa buong Pinas. Pag hindin nangatog si Gloria sa takot.
Anna,
Sori na lang iyang officer na nagmura kay Trillanes, senador na ngayon ang kanyang minura!
Jason, you hit it right there! The norm now is for the higher officers to suck up to the tiyanak! I am pretty sure some of them are about to puke but the lure of the higher position is so great that they will stomach her evil ways! Kawawang Pilipinas talaga. Sana naman dumami pa ang katulad ng mga nakakulong na mga sundalo! Jason, sana maraming makinig sa iyo sa mga kasamahan mo sa AFP. Now na!
Chi: At saka itranslate sa local dialect- para mabasa ng lahat.
“Serve country, not Palace”-Maj. Jason Aquino
“if i serve the country, i will have no money but if i serve my love in the palace, i will be happy and get more money” – esPWEron
There are two places where those famous words of Jason may be emblazoned. Either at the huge cross at Mt. Samat when all the WWII soldiers who served the U.S. had already gone stateside or at the Rizal Monument. Rizal was a U.S. installed hero.
Service for the people, not sip-sip to Gloria!
Sinabi mo pa, DKG. Ang masama pa, sipsip sila ng sipsip for the dough that the criminal steals from the coffers, a lot of them borrowed from overseas!
Who says that Bush is patronizing the creep? No way! But then of course, mabango ang utangera. The more she asks or loans, the better.
On the other hand, aren’t the creditors wary that she cannot pay, nor the Filipinos of this and future generations?
In fact, Japan is worried that the Philippines may one day ask for Japan to wipe off half or more of its loans!
The more she asks FOR loans, the better!