ellen tordesillas – Page 377 – Making life worth living.

Court martial president ousted by peremptory challenge

Published by Ellen on July 18, 2007

CAMP CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal – Former Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda’s lawyer yesterday caused the expulsion of Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano by exercising peremptory challenge against the president of the general court martial that has been trying Miranda and 27 other military officers in the last eight months for last year’s failed power grab.

Under the military justice system, all accused in a court martial have the right to peremptorily challenge any member of the tribunal without cause, a move that automatically disqualifies the challenged member.

Yano, who is the head of the Southern Luzon Command, was forced to inhibit himself. He designated Maj. Gen. Raul Caballes to take over but Caballes was himself peremptorily challenged by another accused, former Scout Ranger Regiment commander Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim.

Why did the honorable Marine officers shave their heads

Published by Ellen on July 18, 2007

The main attraction in today’s court martial hearing in Camp Capinpin was the presence of seven Marine officers in the court room with their shaven heads in sympathy and sorrow with their fallen comrades in Basilan.

Three issues

Published by Ellen on July 17, 2007

Back from attending a family matter in our province in Antique, I find that the bulk of the contents of my mailbox can be divided into three main issues: the Basilan tragedy, the Human Security Act , and the proclamation of Juan Miguel Zubiri as the 12 th winning senator courtesy of the manufactured votes from Maguindanao.

Let’s leave Zubiri to his own karma. Like his principal, Gloria Arroyo, he will always be known as the product of cheating. Text messages refer to him as Daya na Zubiri.

A number of groups are up in arms against the inhuman Human Security Act. One such group is composed of law students of the University of the Philippines, yesterday filed a petition with the Quezon City Regional Trial Court seeking for declaratory relief on certain provisions of the Human Security Act. They are students of Atty. Harry Roque.

Accused Marine officers shave heads over Basilan

Published by Ellen on July 17, 2007

When they appear in the court martial hearing tomorrow, Marine colonels Ariel Querubin, Orlando de Leon and Custodio Parcon will be bald. They have shaved their heads in sympathy with the families of the Marines who died whenthey were ambushed by the MILF in Basilan last week and in disgust the way the military is handling the tragedy.

By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net

Three Marine officers facing court martial over an alleged February 2006 coup plot have shaved their heads not only in sympathy for their 14 comrades slain in an encounter in Basilan last week but also to show their disgust with the military leadership’s handling of the incident.

“We shaved our heads to sympathize with out fallen comrades and manifest our disgust for the manner by which the government and the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] leadership is handling the incident,” Colonel Ariel Querubin said in a text message forwarded to reporters by his wife, Maria Flor.,

Kawawang mga sundalong Pilipino

Published by Ellen on July 14, 2007

Update: Two Marine commanders relieved over Basilan debacle.

Kasumpa-sumpa itong trahedya na nangyari sa Tipo-tipo noong Martes kung saan inambus ang mga Marines ng mga miyembro ng Moro Islamic Liberation Front ng pabalik na sila sa kampo galing sa paghahanap kay Fr.Giancarlo Bossi, ang nakidnap na Italyanong pari.

Labing-apat ang namatay na sundalo. Hindi lang yun. Sampo sa namatay ay pinugutan ng ulo. Mga hayop talaga.

Nag-order si Gloria Arroyo na lipulin raw ang may kagagawan ng karumal-dumal na trahedya. Sinabi ngayon ng military na magpapadala raw sila ng isa pang batallion (mga 500 hanggang 600 na sundalo).

Dapat lang.

Zubiri to be proclaimed

Published by Ellen on July 13, 2007

Courtesy of the manufactured Maguindanao votes, Juan Miguel Zubiri becomes senator.

ABS-CBN’s report:

The Supreme Court denied on Friday the petition of Genuine Opposition candidate Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III to issue a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on the proclamation of Team Unity bet Juan Miguel Zubiri as the 12th senator of the May 14 elections, TV Patrol World reported Friday.

The SC hearing on the oral arguments on Pimentel’s petition lasted seven hours. Seven Justices voted to issue a TRO while the other seven rejected the petition of Pimentel.

Mortars were dud

Published by Ellen on July 12, 2007

Trillanes wants deeper probe of Marine debacle
Inquirer

Click here for GMA-7’s report

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, one of the leaders of the Oakwood mutiny of 2003, wants a deeper inquiry into the ambush.

Speaking through his lawyer Rey Robles, the former Navy lieutenant expressed his “deepest sympathy to the families of the soldiers who perished in the line of duty.”

“It is obvious from television footage that defective ammunition was issued to them [Marines], which may have resulted in their failure to effectively defend themselves against the enemy,” Trillanes said.

Faeldon wants to sue officials responsible for JPEPA

Published by Ellen on July 12, 2007

By DJ Yap

A Marine captain on trial for the failed 2003 Oakwood mutiny wants to file graft charges against officials involved in the forging of the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).

In a surprising move, Captain Nicanor Faeldon sought the permission of a Makati court to file a criminal complaint against officials of the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Economic and Development Authority.

He said he would charge the officials, including Undersecretary Tomas Aquino, with violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act before the Office of the Ombudsman.

MILF kills 14 Marines, 10 beheaded

Published by Ellen on July 11, 2007

(Let’s pray for our gallant soldiers)

Hundreds of Abu Sayyaf terrorists on Tuesday ambushed Marine soldiers involved in the search for Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi in Basilan, killing 14 and wounding nine, Marine spokesman Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan said yesterday.

He said 10 of the fatalities were found beheaded near the encounter area in the village of Ginanta, Tipo-Tipo early yesterday. The identities of the fatalities were withheld pending notification of kin.

Velasco taken off Burgos case

Published by Ellen on July 11, 2007

Update: Velasco said he is not indispensable

Car linked to kidnapping traced to Army chief’s office

Burgos prosecutor sacked after tagging Isafp agents

by Evangeline de Vera

Senior state prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco was relieved yesterday by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez as head of the panel investigating the disappearance of activist Jonas Burgos, two days after he ordered an investigation of military intelligence agents and two other officers suspected of involvement in the abduction.

In another development the Burgos family asked the Supreme Court to issue a writ of habeas corpus compelling the military to produce her son and order his immediate release from detention.

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