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Category: Military

Convicted, dismissed and happy

Published by Ellen on March 26, 2009

rivas3 When I talked to Capt. Candy Rivas this afternoon, she was laughing and we talked of finally having our long-planned dinner, now that she expects to be released from her three year detention.

She didn’t sound like someone who had just been convicted.

Candy was convicted this morning of “Conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman” for harboring and concealing Capt. Nicanor Faeldon who had escaped from his prison cell in Fort Bonifacio in December 2005.” The punishment is dismissal from military service.

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Detained Trillanes moves closer to joining sessions

Published by Ellen on March 5, 2009

proclamation2

by Lynda Jumilla, ABS-CBN News

The Senate has begun exploring ways to allow detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to participate in the chamber’s proceedings through video conferencing.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Committee on Accounts, witnessed a demonstration by Filipino-owned American Technologies Inc. of its video conferencing technology.

During the demo, Lacson was able to have real-time discussions with another party in a remote location.

“Allowing him to participate is a foregone conclusion that has already been decided in the Committee of Rules,” Lacson said.

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Arroyo’s favored Marine

Published by Ellen on February 24, 2009

Update: CA hearing and plenary session scheduled today was cancelled due to lack of quorum.

john-martir
How come John Martir is being promoted major general when he has a pending case before the Ombudsman?

Since deliberation on the confirmation of the promotion of seven military officers which was supposedly yesterday was deferred by one day, members of the Commission on Appointments should take a closer look at the record of Martir and see if his promotion now would be good for the Philippine Marines and to the country.

His case before the Ombudsman is about his having gone on AWOL (absent without leave) for more than one year (477) days from July 1998 to January 2000.

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Updates on the manifesto of support for BG Danny Lim

Published by Ellen on February 23, 2009

BGen Danny Lim’s reaction released through his lawyer, Vicente Verdadero:

I am humbled by this expression of support.

Not one to shirk away from the challenges and responsibilities, I accept the mantle of leadership bestowed upon me by the collective wisdom of the leaders and followers of the various reformist groups.

I will do justice to the trust and I commit myself to the attainment of the aspirations for a country of peace,progress and prosperity.

Statement of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, through its spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres:

1.It is the inherent right of everyone to express his thoughts and his support to anyone or anything as an invocation of freedom of expression;

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Three years ago

Published by Ellen on February 22, 2009

Three years ago, on this day, there were talks of restlessness in the military as more first-hand accounts of how the military was used as cheating operators in the 2004 elections were being shared by the soldiers themselves.

Eight months earlier, on June 6, 2005 then Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye revealed the existence of a taped conversation between Gloria Arroyo and then Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano about manipulating the results of the election in Muslim Mindanao to offset the huge lead posted by opposition candidate Fernando Poe Jr. in Luzon.

Gloria Arroyo apologized on TV for “talking to an election officer” which is prohibited by law. “A confessed felon,” lawyer Francisco Chavez said.

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Usapang “new media” sa Baguio

Published by Ellen on February 21, 2009

Tuwang-tuwa ako tuwing makapunta ako sa Baguio City dahil sa malamig na klima at mga bulaklak.

more-flowers Umakyat kami sa Baguio noong Huwebes kasama sina Yvonne Chua at Luz Rimban, mga kapwa ko awardee ng Marshall McLuhan fellowship para sa forum na ginanap sa University of the Philippines,Baguio City na inurganisa ng Canadian Embassy.

Umulan ng Huwebes ng hapon kaya hindi kami nakapaglakad-lakad sa Philippine Military Academy na busy sa paghahanda para sa PMA alumni homecoming ngayong araw. Ang daming streamers ng mga iba’t-ibang mga klase mula Pampanga. Lalo na sa gilid ng daan bago pumasok sa PMA.

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Sabotaging anti-illegal drugs campaign

Published by Ellen on January 25, 2009

Updates:
Arroyo called up Santiago on Palparan.

Golez wants Resado probed.

I would not be surprised if the idea to appoint retired general Jovito Palparan, known as the “butcher”, to an anti-illegal drugs body, came from Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez.

That would be the surest way to discredit the anti-illegal drugs campaign and lose the cooperation of the civilian community. It’s a stroke of genius that only one with a mind so malevolent could think of.

That it was apparently accepted by Gloria Arroyo, who crowned herself anti-drug czar for two weeks, raises questions if she is still in control of the government.

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‘Favored’ general seen to succeed Yano as AFP chief

Published by Ellen on January 25, 2009

Related article: Solons warn versus militarization

by Victor Reyes
Malaya

Five months before the retirement of Armed Forces chief Gen. Alexander Yano, there are already talks on whether President Arroyo’s perceived favorite officer, Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit, would make it to the top military post.

Some military officers are wary of Bangit’s possible appointment as the military chief, citing the fact that he would be overtaking more senior officers and upperclassmen at the Philippine Military Academy.

Bangit, chief of the Southern Luzon Command, belongs to PMA Class ‘78 that has adopted President Arroyo as an honorary member. He served as chief of the Presidential Security Group and had been with the President since she was vice president. After his stint at the PSG, Bangit was named head the Intelligence Service of the AFP and later on commander of the 2nd Infantry Division. He has been a three-star general for more than a year.

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