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Saturday, November 18, 2006
Police show evidence v. ex-senator in coup plots
MANILA -- Police officials released excerpts of the affidavits of three junior officers from the mutinous Magdalo Group to bolster evidence of the involvement of former senator Gregorio Honasan in moves to destabilize the Arroyo administration.
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Portions of the affidavits of Army 1st Lieutenants Lawrence San Juan and Patricio Bumidang and Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Kiram Sadava, released by the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), showed Honasan meeting with the officers on several occasions.
Honasan was moved suddenly from the Asian Hospital in Alabang, Muntinlupa City to Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa Laguna. The move took his lawyer by surprise.
At the Senate, Honasan's former colleagues sought fair treatment for him, who is a former senator, as a Malacañang official admitted he received surrender feelers from Honasan's camp but had kept the information from the Palace.
Honasan was captured Wednesday dawn in a posh village in Quezon City after several months in hiding. Arrest warrants were issued against him for his alleged involvement in the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003 and in the failed coup against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last February.
A copy of San Juan's affidavit showed that the officer met with the former senator several times beginning in November 2002, eight months before they mounted the short-lived Oakwood mutiny in July 2003.
Quoting from the affidavit of Bumidang, the CIDG said the Magdalo officer met with Honasan at the Wack-Wack Heights in Mandaluyong City on January last year.
Also present in the meeting were Magdalo officers Sadava, San Juan, 1st Lieutenant Aldrin Baldonado, Captain Rogelio Gabi, among others.
Bumidang said Honasan was accompanied by retired Navy Captain Felix Turingan and retired Army Colonel Jake Malajacan, a compatriot of Honasan in the failed coups in the late 1980s, and lawyer Christopher Belmonte.
"No clear plans were discussed during that meeting but we were told (by Honasan's group) to recruit and consolidate to gain strength. We were told that our main objective is to oust PGMA (President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), change the rotten system and provide an avenue for genuine reforms," said Bumidang.
Bumidang also said he attended two more meetings presided by Honasan at the Wack-Wack heights. He said he saw in one of the meetings then erstwhile First Scout Ranger Regiment commander and Marine Colonel Ariel Querubin.
Lim and Querubin are among the 38 Marine and Army officers implicated in the failed coup last February. The 38 officers are detained in several detention facilities, awaiting possible court martial proceedings against them.
Bumidang said several other meetings were attended by Honasan with the Magdalo Group officers, at the Aberdeen Court hotel in Quezon City and at Greenhills East in San Juan. He said he saw lawyer Ruel Pulido in one of the meetings.
Sadava, in his affidavit, said he attended a meeting during the second week of January 2005 in an undisclosed place "for a formal ritual". Present in the meeting were Honasan, Magdalo officer Lieutenant Engelbert Gay, and two unidentified civilians. "There were about 15 military and civilians present at that time," he said
"On December 10, 2005, I attended a team leaders' meeting and grand meeting somewhere in Greenhills East," Sadava said. Among those present were Honasan,
Pulido, and several other members of the Makabayang Kawal Pilipino (also known as Magdalo Group) and civilian members of the Mamamayang Kaisa sa Pagbabago.
"Discussed during the meeting were the present strength and status of the group, the recruitment scheme. We had a film showing and it ended with a motivation speech from Senator Honasan and Lieutenant San Juan," Sadava added.
Sadava said Pulido also delivered a "message of encouragement" during the meeting. Sadava also said Pulido, who represented a number of Magdalo officers in their pending cases in courts, "told everyone they must know how to conduct propaganda."
AFP public information officer Bartolome Bacarro maintained that the military establishment has enough evidence to pin down Honasan.
He also said the military's evidence against Honasan in the Oakwood mutiny includes the sworn statements of several military officers who have detailed the meetings presided by Honasan prior to the occupation of the premiere Oakwood apartments in Makati City on July 27, 2003.
Bacarro said it would be the court that will eventually decide on the merits of the evidence. "It's beyond the Armed Forces to really say if the statement of the senator (Biazon) is correct or not."
He also said security agencies already have the names of people who coddled Honasan when he went into hiding.
Bacarro said the CIDG is looking "into their violation, (which is) obstructing justice by harboring a fugitive." On whether there is an active officer in the list, he said, "It's too early for us to say right now because it is still subject of verification and investigation."
Asked if military operations against those accused with Honasan and who are still at-large would be stepped up, Bacarro said the operation has been ongoing for quite some time already."
Three co-accused of Honasan in the case still at large are Turingan and Philippine Guardians Brotherhood Inc. officers George Duldulao and Lina Reyes. The PGBI is chaired by Honasan.
Honasan's lawyer said he was surprised by his client's transfer to Fort Sto. Domingo.
"I was clearly surprised because in the first place there was no court order and he is still being treated for his injuries," said Gutierrez in a phone interview adding that the authorities cited security concerns as the reason for the sudden move.
A hearing on a motion to detain Honasan at the police training camp set Friday was cancelled after Judge Oscar Pimentel called in sick and postponed the hearing to November 21.
Asked if Honasan's condition was stable enough for the transfer, Gutierrez said the move was cleared by his attending physician at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa where the 58-year-old former Army colonel was brought for treatment due to the injuries he sustained when he tried to elude the arresting team last Tuesday.
Honasan sustained injuries on his right foot and fracture on his left after he jumped from the two-storey residential unit in a posh subdivision in Quezon City where he was apprehended after nine months in hiding.
Gutierrez said Honasan was accompanied by his eldest son during the transfer. He said he will be visiting Honasan on Saturday morning to inquire about his condition.
Honasan was taken on board a police ambulance that was heavily guarded by personnel of the elite Special Action Force.
At the Palace, Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza, in an ambush interview in Malacañang, said Honasan's emissary had informed him that the former soldier turned senator wanted to surface and live a normal life. He did not identify Honasan's emissary.
"Magsi-sixty na raw siya e. Magsi-senior citizen na siya, kaya gusto niya medyo tahimik na buhay (He will be turning 60. He will be a senior citizen soon so he wanted to live a peaceful life)," he said.
He said that since everything was still in the "exploratory" stage, he did not report it to the President, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita or anyone else from Malacañang.
But he said he talked with some Cabinet officials like Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. about Honasan's request for a fair trial. Mendoza said Gonzalez assured him of a fair trial and a treatment that is based on procedure.
Mendoza said he and Honasan were close when they were cadets at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). Honasan is a member of the PMA Class of 1971 while Mendoza is from PMA Class 1969.
Presidential legal counsel Sergio Apostol shrugged off the comments of Senator Biazon that Honasan played a key role in preventing bloodshed during the failed Oakwood mutiny of July 2003.
He said it would be up to the court and the proper authorities to decide if Honasan was really a peacemaker or not.
Apostol also rejected any special treatment for Honasan who is among the candidates being considered by the opposition for their senatorial slate.
He said it would be Honasan's problem how he would campaign from jail, if he ever decides to run.
Apostol also said it would also be up to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the courts to decide if they would agree to allow him to run or even allow him to join campaign sorties.
Senator Rodolfo Biazon, meanwhile, said that if allowed by authorities, he would like to visit Honasan.
Biazon said he is willing to testify before the court that he personally asked the help of then Senator Honasan to mediate in the controversial Oakwood mutiny in order to pacify rebel soldiers and avoid a violent confrontation.
But the Armed Forces dismissed as mere "opinion" the pronouncement of Biazon.
Like Apostol, Justice Secretary Gonzalez ruled out special treatment in the form of house arrest for Honasan.
In a phone interview, Gonzalez said the Department of Justice (DOJ) is not inclined to grant the plea of the camp of the former military man-turned-lawmaker as other respondents in the coup d'etat and rebellion cases filed before the Makati City court might also ask for the same concession.
Gonzalez at the same time said he is still evaluating whether there is need to put Ingrid Ramos, a close associate of Honasan, in the watch-list of the Bureau of Immigration. He earlier ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a background check on Ramos and other personalities who might have given sanctuary to Honasan. (Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (November 18, 2006 issue)
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