Author: Ellen

by Victor Reyes

Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said he does not see it in the horizon but he would be honored if President Arroyo would extend his tour of duty as head of the 120,000-strong military beyond Feb. 9, 2008 when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.

Esperon, the only one still active of so-called Hello Garci generals who supposedly helped rig the 2004 presidential elections in Mindanao to ensure President Arroyo’s victory, said the AFP chief’s tour of duty can be extended for a maximum of three years under the Constitution but the retirement age remains at 56.

by Ashzel Hachero and Victor Reyes

A Makati court yesterday dismissed for lack of probable cause the rebellion charge filed by the justice department against former Vice President Teofisto Guingona and 17 others in connection with the standoff at the Peninsula Hotel in Makati City late last month.

Judge Elmo Alameda also ordered the release of 14 individuals from detention at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

Update: Agreement not binding: Esperon

That’s the big difference between an honorable officer and a dishonorable one. Click here for full story in Inquirer.

In his 30 minute testimony at the hearing this morning, Brig. Gen. Lim reiterated that the agreement forged between representatives of the government and the Magdalo officers was binding because it was approved by Gloria Arroyo.

The agreement was soldiers would surrender but only five of the core leaders would be charged in a military and for the rest to return to barracks. The five are Ltsg Antonio Trillanes IV, Ltsg James Layug, Capt. Gerardo Gambala, Capt. Milo Maestrocampo and Capt. Gary Alejano.

There were also reforms in the military that the rebel junior officers wanted to be investigated. Those were never done.

Journalists will be banned from covering the trial of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and 25 other Magdalo soldiers on mutiny charges inside the sala of Makati Judge Oscar Pimentel until the case has been promulgated.

Capt. Carlo Ferrer, public information officer of the Armed Forces’ National Capital Command, relayed Pimentel’s directive to journalists gathered at the corridor of the 14th floor of the Makati courthouse to cover the resumption of the trial this morning. He said the case may be promulgated before the end of December.

Ferrer, who has allowed journalists to move a few meters closer to Pimentel’s sala, would not say how many soldiers have been fielded to secure today’s proceedings. Two armored personnel carriers have been stationed at the Makati City Hall premises.

The trial of the 26 Magdalo soldiers led by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV for their participation in the so-called Oakwood mutiny in 2003 resumes in about an hour.

Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, whose testimony last Nov. 29 was abruptly cut short when the accused walked out of Makati Judge Oscar Pimentel’s courtroom and proceeded to the Manila Peninsula Hotel to call for the withdrawal of support for the Arroyo administration, will be back at the witness stand.

The government is not taking any chances, fielding more than a thousand soldiers from the Army and Air Force in addition to police personnel to make sure there will be no Manila Peninsula standoff redux. Soldiers are posted as far as Buendia Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, a good distance from the courthouse on J. P. Rizal Road.

This is a must see! Click on highlighted line below. trillanes_presentation.ppt Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, Jr’s report on his visit to the Crame Custodial Center where…