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Thursday, June 23, 2005
Sedition raps filed v. retired general
MANILA -- Two lawyers, one of whom defended presidential aspirant Eddie Gil, Wednesday filed a charge of inciting to sedition against retired General Fortunato Abat before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for his call to revolt against the Arroyo administration.
Attorneys Romeo Igot and Ariel Joseph Arias accused Abat, commodore Ismael Aparri (retired), general Tomas Diaz (retired), former Budget secretary Salvador Enriquez, John Moldero, Linda Montayre, and several John and Jane Does for allegedly conspiring to oust President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Igot, who served as lawyer for Gil when he asked the Comelec to recognize his Partido Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa (Pibid) as a legitimate political party, is the president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Manila IV Chapter, while Arias is the president of the University of the East Law Alumni Association.
In a 12-page criminal complaint, Igot and Arias said the respondents "willfully and in obvious conspiracy uttered seditious words during a press conference on April 30, 2005, held at the Club Filipino in San Juan".
Also during the press conference, Abat launched a group called the "Coalition of the National Salvation," composed of retired military officers, civil society militants and Muslims that shall establish a revolutionary transition government, as there was a "crisis in leadership and management of the nation's resources."
The complainants also quoted Aparri as saying during the press conference to "unite and drive her (Arroyo) away from Malacañang," while Enriquez allegedly stated that "we are going to join whatever moves that would lead to a change in government."
The complainants cited Article 142 of the Revised Penal Code in declaring that the respondents' actions are clearly seditious and tend to disturb public peace and to stir up the people against lawful authorities.
"By claiming there is a 'crisis in leadership' in the present administration and thereafter calling on the public to a 'revolutionary transition' respondents have the dangerous tendency, if not the clear and present danger, to disturb or obstruct any lawful officer in executing the functions of his office," they said.
After filing their complaint with the DOJ, the complainants and another lawyer, identified as Marcial Magsino, went to the office of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez for a closed-door meeting. (ECV)
(June 23, 2005 issue)
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