Saturday, January 21, 2006
Maxey: No cause for concern?
By Ram Maxey
Bar None
THE recent escape from a high-security detention center in Fort Bonifacio Tuesday night of four Army junior officers of the Magdalo group who took part in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny has more to it than meets the eye.
What else is new in this country with porous detention centers? Last December 14 Marine Captain Nicanor Faeldon of the infamous Oakwood caper escaped from his guards and has since then taunted the military with his anti-government Internet blogs and videos.
What's to stop the four new escapees from doing a Faeldon, seeing as how the Marine captain has been freely visiting military camps as far as Zamboanga without being arrested and returned to Fort Bonifacio? For that matter, when will be the next escape of other Oakwood mutineers, and how many this time?
It may be recalled that a certain Colonel Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, who led a failed coup d'etat against then President Corazon Aquino, escaped from a Philippine Navy ship where he was being held and ended up becoming a senator of the land. Makes one wonder, doesn't it? Only in the Philippines, as they say.
As for red-faced Army chief Lieutenant General Hermogenes Esperon, the last we heard from him following the escape Tuesday night of Captain Nathaniel Rabonza and 1st Lieutenants Lawrence San Juan, Sonny Sarmiento and Patricio Bumidang Jr. was the statement he made to the press: "I am embarrassed by this situation and I am taking full responsibility for it. But I do not think it calls for resignation from the post. I'd like to believe it is not cause for concern."
Not cause for concern, he says. First it was Faeldon, then four more of his Magdalo group followed suit soon after. What if, more of their comrades, pull off another escape en masse, would that not be cause for concern yet? Reminds us of someone who admits "lapse of judgment" but won't resign despite also being embarrassed. Again, that much-abused phrase -- only in the Philippines.
So, they have put out what amounts to an A.P.B. (All Points Bulletin in US police parlance) on the escapees along with checkpoints all over in the hope of snaring them so that the Army chief can get over his embarrassment?
Brother, THAT will be the day. Forget it. If it were a movie, this is where we came in.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (January 21, 2006 issue)
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