Coup plotters to Esperon: tell the truth

October 25, 2007  --  Got something to say?
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Gen. Hermogenes EsperonMANILA Detained military officers have urged Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon to speak up on controversies hounding him before he retires in February 2008.

The jailed officers urged Esperon to disclose the contents of the Mayuga Report, which cleared several military officers implicated in the Hello, Garci wiretapping controversy. Esperon himself was among those mentioned in the wiretapped conversations.

Tell the truth. Just tell the truth. You might still earn our salute.

We have not given up on you, Mr Esperon. There might still be some good left in you,” the group of 28 officers said in a statement.

The call came from officers accused of staging the foiled power grab in Feb. 24, 2006, including former Marine commandant Renato Miranda, former Scout Ranger regiment commander Danilo Lim and Col. Ariel Querubin.

The officers said the actions of four generals implicated in the wiretapping controversy was the collective shame of the Armed Forces.

Never in the history of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has one man and his criminal gang brought so much shame to our beloved organization,” said the officers in a statement distributed to media covering the court martial proceedings in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal.

Esperon and now retired Generals Gabriel Habacon and Roy Kyamko were named by former elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano in the Hello Garci” wiretapped conversations.

The detained officers said the allegations that Esperon and a few criminal elements among the ranks of the AFP had allowed themselves to be used to subvert the Constitution and destroy the very essence of democracy” have become the collective shame of the Armed Forces.

Nay, it is our collective shame that we failed to stop them. The thought of this failure reaffirms our resolve to bring them to justice.

That is our covenant with the people and our sworn duty to protect the country,” they added.

Who stands accused of cheating in the elections in 2004? Who stands accused of lying? Who stands accused of stealing votes? Who was mentioned in the Garci tapes? Who debased the Armed Forces of the Philippines by being party to cheating, stealing and lying? Who hides behind EO 464 when given the opportunity to let the truth out?” they asked.
Sen. Rodolfo Biazon said at least two of the accused military officers need serious medical attention after falling ill. Biazon urged the military leadership to better attend to the medical needs of the two officers because if something happens to them it will surely result in instability.”

He said reports reaching his office revealed that Miranda was suffering from diabetes and vertigo. He added that Miranda could stay longer than three days in V. Luna Hospital because of his condition.

He added that another of the detained officers was reportedly afflicted with cancer.

He said Querubin has requested for a blood test more than a week ago but his request remains unacted upon.
Esperon earlier rejected Mirandas request to be allowed to undergo military checkup, saying destabilizers do not deserve to be given such privileges.” This despite reports Miranda had collapsed twice in his detention cell. Esperon relented only after much criticism.

Biazon is set to bring a medical team from the Senate to the officers detained in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal for an independent assessment of their health and medical condition.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro granted Biazons request to visit and examine the detained officers on the condition that no reporters will be allowed to cover the event.

Esperon and Miranda were roommates or bunkmates at the PMA.
Miranda is due for retirement this December and Esperon in February.
Aside from Miranda and Lim, 26 other Army and Marine officers are detained in Camp Capinpin for the failed coup plot in February last year.

Col. Ariel Querubin, another accused in the plot, has told the military court he was due for a blood test two weeks ago but authorities have not brought him to the AFP Medical Center. Querubin has been diagnosed by military physicians as afflicted with malaria.

Col. Januario Caringal, also a co-accused, is confined for hepatitis at the AFP Medical Center in Quezon City.
Detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and colleague Manuel Mar Roxas II have deplored Esperons order barring the holding of a Senate hearing inside Trillanes detention site at the Marines brig in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, late last month.
Earlier, Esperon said that Maj. Gen. Miranda, former Marines commandant who is detained for allegedly leading a failed power grab last year, is not entitled to an executive medical checkup because he is a destabilizer.

If they are asking for an executive check, what I know is that an executive checkup is a privilege for those who are not resorting to violence,” Esperon said. For example, if you are not doing something illegal, you can have an executive checkup. But if you are a destabilizer, you are detained, why then are you asking for an executive checkup? We (military leadership) are not the ones who are at fault why you are being detained, Esperon also said.
Esperon, however, had a change a mind later and allowed Miranda to be checked at the army hospital.

At the same time, some minority congressmen want to probe Gen. Esperon for alleged abuse of authority and infringing on the powers of the Senate to hold hearings in the army camp. Detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and colleague Manuel Mar Roxas II have deplored Esperons order barring the holding of a Senate hearing inside Trillanes detention site at the Marines brig in Fort Bonifacio,Taguig City, late last month.

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