Detained Marine general hits AFP top brass for continuing 'oppression'
MARK MERUEñAS, GMANews.TV
10/09/2008 | 11:50 AM
MANILA, Philippines - One of the 28 military officers detained in connection with the alleged February 2006 coup on Thursday scored the current Armed Forces leadership for the "oppression" still being inflicted on them.
In a statement, Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, former Marine commandant, said the AFP leadership under General Alexander Yano has done nothing to help them despite the prosecution’s failure to present evidence against them.
"The current AFP leadership continues this oppressive policy, despite the fact that they are by now aware of the lack of basis for our continued incarceration," Miranda said.
Miranda is the highest ranking officer in detention followed by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, former commander of the elite First Scout Ranger Regiment.
The 28 Army and Marine officers were earlier slapped with several charges but all, except for Articles of War 67 or mutiny, were later dropped after the two-year prescribed period expired.
In addition to the officers, 40 enlisted men were held by in connection with the alleged power grab. Though no charges were officially filed against them, all were dismissed from the service.
A pretrial investigation had initially cleared all the accused officers but former Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon overturned the decision.
"As we have said before, our detention and continued incarceration clearly appears to have been the result of one man’s whims backed by his patrons in the administration," Miranda said.
"[Esperon’s] actions deprived us of our freedoms, de-railed our careers and denied our families of our company," Miranda said. Incidentally, Miranda and Esperon are both members of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1974.
Miranda said they had hoped to finally find some relief after Esperon left the top military post and became presidential adviser on the peace process. However, the detained officer lamented how the leadership of Esperon’s successor, Yano, was no different.
"Our detention and continued incarceration clearly appears to have been the result of one man’s whims backed by his patrons in the administration and surprisingly continued by an AFP leadership that appears to be not much different from the previous one," he said.
To begin with, he and his 27 fellow officers and 40 enlisted men soul d not have been sent behind bars due to the prosecution’s failure to list any evidence that could prove their guilt, according to Miranda.
"The prosecution has not come up with any evidence that will sustain a finding of probable cause, much less a finding of guilt. And yet we were jailed," he said, adding their detention was “unjust."
Miranda also insisted there was no mutiny and expressed willingness for him and Lim to go on trial on behalf of all the other officers under them.
Miranda said under direct responsibility, the two of them are responsible for the actions of all their subordinates.
"Let our men go, reinstate the unjustly dismissed enlisted men and let justice prevail," he ended. - GMANews.TV
In a statement, Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, former Marine commandant, said the AFP leadership under General Alexander Yano has done nothing to help them despite the prosecution’s failure to present evidence against them.
"The current AFP leadership continues this oppressive policy, despite the fact that they are by now aware of the lack of basis for our continued incarceration," Miranda said.
Miranda is the highest ranking officer in detention followed by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, former commander of the elite First Scout Ranger Regiment.
The 28 Army and Marine officers were earlier slapped with several charges but all, except for Articles of War 67 or mutiny, were later dropped after the two-year prescribed period expired.
In addition to the officers, 40 enlisted men were held by in connection with the alleged power grab. Though no charges were officially filed against them, all were dismissed from the service.
A pretrial investigation had initially cleared all the accused officers but former Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon overturned the decision.
"As we have said before, our detention and continued incarceration clearly appears to have been the result of one man’s whims backed by his patrons in the administration," Miranda said.
"[Esperon’s] actions deprived us of our freedoms, de-railed our careers and denied our families of our company," Miranda said. Incidentally, Miranda and Esperon are both members of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1974.
Miranda said they had hoped to finally find some relief after Esperon left the top military post and became presidential adviser on the peace process. However, the detained officer lamented how the leadership of Esperon’s successor, Yano, was no different.
"Our detention and continued incarceration clearly appears to have been the result of one man’s whims backed by his patrons in the administration and surprisingly continued by an AFP leadership that appears to be not much different from the previous one," he said.
To begin with, he and his 27 fellow officers and 40 enlisted men soul d not have been sent behind bars due to the prosecution’s failure to list any evidence that could prove their guilt, according to Miranda.
"The prosecution has not come up with any evidence that will sustain a finding of probable cause, much less a finding of guilt. And yet we were jailed," he said, adding their detention was “unjust."
Miranda also insisted there was no mutiny and expressed willingness for him and Lim to go on trial on behalf of all the other officers under them.
Miranda said under direct responsibility, the two of them are responsible for the actions of all their subordinates.
"Let our men go, reinstate the unjustly dismissed enlisted men and let justice prevail," he ended. - GMANews.TV
