Thursday, April 17, 2008 Senate won't probe Honasan over Oakwood mutiny
SENATOR Rodolfo Biazon said the Senate will not conduct at this point an investigation into the allegation raised by escaped Magdalo leader, Marine Captain Nicanor Faeldon, regarding the alleged role of Senator Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan in the failed 2003 Oakwood mutiny.
Speaking during the weekly Fernandina Forum at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan, Biazon said it was premature for the Senate to investigate the allegations since Faeldon's statement made in a phone patch interview with a television network was "uncorroborated."
"It is a statement of one who is on the run and I cannot consider that statement issued from the underground as sufficient basis for a probe," Biazon said.
He said Faeldon's accusation that Honasan helped plan and fund the Oakwood mutiny should be corroborated by others involved in the mutiny.
"If Captain Faeldon's statement will be corroborated by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV or Navy Lieutenant Senior Grade James Layug or Marine Captain Gary Alejano or even Captains Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrecampo, then this can be looked up but right now there is really no sufficient basis," said Biazon, who is a former military chief.
He said even if the soldier-turned fugitive executes an affidavit on his accusation, it is not enough for the Senate to conduct an investigation adding that it would be best if Faeldon would come out in the open with his accusation.
"It would be good if he would come out but I think it wouldn't happen considering that he is on the run," he said.
Trillanes, Layug, Alejano, Gambala and Maestrecampo were identified as core leaders of the Magdalo group although Gambala and Maestrecampo have renounced their ties with the group.
Last week, Gambala and Maestrecampo and seven other junior officers were sentenced to lengthy prison terms by Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Oscar Pimentel for the coup d'etat case related to the Oakwood incident. They later apologized and asked for presidential pardon.
In the interview, Faeldon praised Trillanes for his refusal to vow to the Arroyo administration but added he has only contempt for Honasan, a former Army colonel who figured in several coup attempts against former President Corazon Aquino in the late 1980s.
He said he has in his documents proving Honasan's participation but added he will present this at the proper time.
Military and police intelligence have identified Honasan as the "kuya" of the Magdalo group when he attended several planning and recruitment meetings of the group prior to the incident.
Another Magdalo leader, Army 1st Lieutenant Lawrence San Juan, has also pointed to Honasan's participation, but the Makati court dropped the coup d'etat case against the lawmaker last year after Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. said there was no evidence against him.
According to Biazon, it is up to Malacañang to initiate an investigation into he matter adding that it has the investigative powers and agencies if it would conduct one.
"It should be the executive department to investigate since it has the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. But the problem is would Malacañang conduct such a probe?" he said.
Faeldon's lawyer Trixie Angeles said it was not his client that was interviewed in the television last Tuesday evening.
"That's not him (Faeldon). That's not his style," said Angeles.
She raised suspicion that the voice clip could even be part of a psychological warfare ploy of the military to force Faeldon out of hiding where he could be arrested.
"I just can't believe that the voice belonged to Nick (referring to Faeldon's nickname). They are just trying to flush him out," she said, adding that the authorities could be frustrated in their manhunt since several months had passed without his being recaptured.
Angeles said Faeldon also never criticized fellow rebel soldiers who had changed their stand.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. asked Faeldon to surrender and face the charges against him following his supposed interview.
"It's good for anybody to face up to what he has committed in court, like these nine officers admitted their guilt the nine Magdalo officers led by Captain (Gerardo) Gambala," Teodoro said.
Faeldon escaped after playing a role in the November 29 standoff at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City. He first escaped in December 2005 and was re-arrested by intelligence operations a month after in Malabon City.
Teodoro belied insinuations that the interview was military bait. "I did not hear the interview, and the military has not reported to me regarding Captain Faeldon. I'm sure that the military has taken that into consideration -- continue its efforts to look for him."
"The government is not baiting him (Faeldon) to come out, the government is looking for him to arrest him," said Teodoro. On his instruction to the military, he said: "He has standing warrant for his arrest and there is no other option but to serve it as best as possible." (AH/VR/Sunnex)
