Tempers flared and red scarves were waved at the court martial hearing yesterday of 28 officers allegedly involved in the failed coup against Gloria Arroyo in February 2006.
The courtroom animosity was precipitated by the insistence of the panel to proceed with the trial even when the Pre-Trial Advice, the basis of the charges against the officers is not signed by AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon.The accused raised a howl.
More photos:
by Victor Reyes
Officers accused of involvement in last year’s supposed attempt to grab power yesterday accepted a counter-challenge of Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. for them to tell the truth about a videotape showing their withdrawal of support from President Arroyo.
But they also asked Esperon to tell the truth on allegations that he and other military generals helped rig the May 2004 elections to ensure President Arroyo’s victory.
“We accept that challenge, Mr. Esperon. Do you?” the officers who are detained in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal said in a statement given to reporters covering the resumption of court martial proceedings against them.
Update:Trillanes says Glorietta Bombing Malacanang Handiwork
“I believe the Glorietta 2 mall blast that killed eight and wounded hundred other persons is the handiwork of Malacanang Palace, particularly National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon.
“It very looks like a repeat of Oplan Greenbase, perpetrated by the administration in 2003 in Mindanao, where a series of bombings rocked the island, killing innocent people and destroying property. Those bombings remain unexplained to this day.
“This blast is most likely another tactic of the administration to divert public attention away from the controversies hounding GMA.
Bacani: ‘Binabastos na ang bayan’
by Gerard Naval
Malaya
Novaliches Bishop emeritus Teodoro Bacani yesterday stopped short of calling for a people power revolt as he urged the people to express their outrage over what he described as the “misgovernance” of the Arroyo administration.
The bishop, in a radio interview, said the public should help the media and the nation in showing their disgust over the “shameless” acts of the administration.
As calls for Gloria Arroyo’s resignation, to avoid another extra-constitutional regime change, mount, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye again brought out fantasy mantra: “President Arroyo has a mandate to serve until 2010.”
It’s good that he brought that up because this is a good time to once again to trace where that so-called “mandate” came from.
The blatant bribery that took place in Malacañang last week, which underscored the depth of moral degradation Gloria Arroyo has dragged this nation down, was in connection with the “scandal-ridden joke of an impeachment”, in the words of House Speaker Jose de Venecia.
There were 25 cars that joined the mobile rally this afternoon. It started at the UCC coffee shop in Fort Bonifacio. It passed through Marines headquarters in Fort Bonifacio. Officers and soldiers looked interested.
When it stopped in front of LTA (Mike Arroyo’s) building on Perea st., the guards scrambled to secure the building. It was fun.
Here’s an Agence France-Presse report from ABS-CBN online:
President Arroyo, battling claims that lawmakers were given cash to block an impeachment bid against her, risks a mutiny by soldiers angry about corruption, military sources said Thursday.
Troops battling Al Qaeda-linked Islamic rebels and Communist insurgents in the restive south are demanding answers from Arroyo about the bribery scandal, with one officer saying they are fed up with seeing government money disappear.
Senators revive call on Gloria to resign
by JP Lopez and Jocelyn Montemayor
Senators yesterday renewed demands for President Arroyo to resign, saying her “misgovernance” is pushing the country to the brink of political upheaval.
“President Arroyo should resign and turn over the government to Vice President de Castro as caretaker until 2010,” Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said.
Majority leader Francis Pangilinan said Arroyo’s resignation is the only constitutional solution to avert civil war.
(Itong aking column sa Abante ay para bukas (Huwebes, Oct. 18 ngunit pinost ko na ngayon para malaman ng marami at baka may gustong sumama sa car rally.)
Ngayong araw, magkakaroon ng car rally sa Makati para ipahayag ang galit ng sambayanan sa nangyayari ngayon na kurakutan, kasinungalingan at corruption sa pamahalaan.
Magkikita-kita sa UCC Café sa Fort Bonifacio ng 1:45 p.m. at magsimula ang caravan ng 2:45 p.m. Hindi ko alam ang ruta ngunit siguradong dadaan sa Ayala Avenue sa Makati. Ang nag-oorganisa nito ang “Concerned Citizens Group”, mga mamamayang nagmamalasakit sa nangyayari ngayon sa bayan.
Statement from Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, Brig. Gen. Danny Lim and the rest of the 28 officers detained in Camp Capinpin on Dolorfino’s statement that he does not think the bribery issue would be a source of grumbling among soldiers:
“Speak for yourself, you sycophant general. It hardly affects you because you have got it so good enjoying all the perquisites dispensed by an illegitimate leadership bereft of moral scruples which perpetuates itself through bribery and corrupting others.
“You’ve got it made. All for your blind loyalty and myopic sense of professionalism. If pervasive corruption and the strak truth don’t bother you, the soldiers are deeply affected by them.