How does one defend democracy?
By aiding in the tampering of results of election so that your candidate will be declared winner even if she was not elected by the people? Or by joining the people who demand accountability from government officials who subverted the will of the people?
This is the question that face the panel trying the 28 officers accused of mutiny for something that did not happen in February 2006 after former AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon claimed “defense of democracy” in his decision to incarcerate the officers even as he continues serve an unelected president.
I caught up with what happened during the court martial hearing last Wednesday through the VERA files video report.
I missed the hearing that I have been following for the three years because I was in Cebu for a sharing session with Cebu journalists on the 2010 elections.
It was my second time to be with Cebu journalists have their annual Press Freedom Week. The first time was I think in 2005. I’m impressed with the “friendly competition” among Cebu journalists that make for a healthy and progressive journalism community.
The session I participated was organized by the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists headed by Elias Baquero, who used to be the Cebu correspondent of Malaya during our “mosquito press” years under the Marcos regime.
My Cebu trip was made possible by the Canadian Embassy, which facilitates the participation of Marshall McLuhan fellows in media activities in the country. I was actually a pinch hitter for Gloria Glenda, manager of ANC, who had a more urgent assignment from ABS-CBN management last Wednesday.
The witness in the court martial hearing last Wednesday was former Esperon, currently the head of the Presidential Management Staff. I understand he was the last witness of the prosecution that is expected to wrap up its presentation in the next hearing.
Esperon’s court appearance has been awaited by the accused who include Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda Brig.Gen.(his bunkmate in the Philippine Military Academy), Brig. Gen. Danny Lim, and Col. Ariel Querubin.
Esperon was Army chief in February 2006 when the Arroyo administration was shaken by “Hello Garci” tapes where Arroyo was heard talking with then Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano how to make sure that she leads by one million votes.
The name of Esperon was mentioned by Garcillano as one of the generals that were helpful to them as against Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani who was not cooperative with his operators. The revelations of the role of the military in subverting the will of the people in an elections had caused restiveness among members of the armed forces especially the junior officers.
Then AFP Chief Generoso Senga ordered the investigation of the aborted plan by some members of the armed forces to join a protest rally on Feb. 24, 2006.
In October 2006, by that time Esperon was already the AFP chief, the investigating panel headed Col. Al Perreras recommended the dismissal of the charge of mutiny (67th Article of War) against all the respondents “for lack of factual and legal bases”.
The panel recommended that the officers be charged with conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman (96th Article of War).
In November 2006, Esperon disapproved the pre-trial investigation report and ordered trial for the 28 officers for the charge of mutiny and conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman. When the accused were not arraigned after two years, the charge of “conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentlemen” was dismissed.
Last Wednesday was the first time that the accused officer faced their accuser. Vera Files’ Tessa Jamandre described the atmosphere in court as filled with “silent tension.”
Asked what he felt seeing the officers who had been in jail for three years as he had ordered, Esperon replied, “I believe this is all part of my defense of democracy so it is not something hard to do, appearing here as a witness and I will come out with whatever is asked of me in this court and what I should be telling as a witness.”
Esperon is reported to be going into politics in 2010 either as congressman in one of the districts in Pangasinan or senator. His name has also been mentioned as one of those being considered to replace Gilbert Teodoro as defense chief.
Danny Lim, who has announced his plan to run for senator in next year’s election, reacted to Esperon’s claim that his action was in “defense of democracy” because he said the February 2006 incident was agitated by the rigging the results of the 2004 elections with the participation of military generals that included Esperon.
Lim said, “Ang masama nito, kung sino iyong mga kriminal noong 2004 elections, sila ang hindi nakulong. Kami ang mga nagbabayad sa mga kasalanan nila. Ang original sin dito is the 2004 electoral cheating. We are the ones paying the price for the crimes that they did.”
Lim said he would love to sit at the witness stand and tell the court what Esperon did not say during his testimony. “Sasabihin ko lahat iyong nangyari,” he said, adding that Esperon with held a lot of information.
Pictures taken during lunch break at the hearing Wednesday:
1. BGen Danny Lim and Capt. Gino Guinolbay
2. Lunch
3. Col. Armando Bañez and Lt. Sandro Sereño
4. Capt. Mon Almodovar with daughter Julia and son Renzo.
4. Maj. Francisco Fernandez,Capt.Allan Aurino,capt. James Sababan, Col. Ariel Querubin, Col. Armando Bañez.
5. Lt. Richie Caballes with wife, Debbie.
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