Honasan faces coup raps
August 5, 2003 | 12:00am
The government finally filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday charges of coup d’etat against Sen. Gregorio Honasan and more than 1,000 supporters for the failed mutiny in Makati City last July 27.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina filed the charge, prepared by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), with Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong yesterday afternoon.
Also charged were Capt. Felix Turingan, retired Col. Ernesto Macahiya, a certain retired Colonel Lazo and a certain Colonel Briones.
Former Honasan chief of staff George Duldulao and one Lina Reyes were also charged with rebellion along with 1,000 John and Jane Does.
Although Honasan is no longer with the military, government lawyers said he was charged with coup d’etat in his capacity as a government official.
But Honasan denied his involvement in the mutiny and said the evidence Lina and the police presented to the DOJ were "fabricated."
"I wasn’t involved," he told broadcast journalists via telephone without revealing his whereabouts. "It’s only a fabrication."
"That’s the problem when you do not present your evidence immediately because... evidence is either destroyed or fabricated," the senator told ABS-CBN’s "TV Patrol" news program.
It was the first time such charges were filed before prosecutors and President Arroyo assured in a separate statement there would be no special treatment for those found to be involved in the mutiny.
"There will be no (sacred) cows in this investigation," Mrs. Arroyo said. "The ax will fall heaviest upon those who use the pedestal of legitimate political power to destroy the very democratic system that installed them in office."
Apparently referring to Honasan, Mrs. Arroyo told a gathering of town and city officials that "those who have nothing to hide should not play hide and seek with the authorities."
"There is no reason for anybody to cry out persecution or witch hunt," the President said.
Honasan, 55, has made himself scarce since the military crushed the mutiny which broke out before dawn on July 27 and lasted for 20 hours.
His last public appearance was on July 29, a day after the resumption of congressional session, when he delivered a privileged speech in the Senate denying his involvement in the coup try.
Lina assured the public that despite a prevailing state of rebellion that allows the President to suspend the writ of habeas corpus and order warrantless arrests, Honasan will not be arrested without a warrant, as per an earlier agreement between the government and Senate President Franklin Drilon.
Under Article 135 of the Revised Penal Code, any person who leads or in any manner directs or commands others to undertake a coup d’etat shall suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years in prison.
In filing the government complaint against Honasan, the authorities presented Army communications officer, Maj. Perfecto Ragil, who claimed to have been present in a meeting where Honasan and other soldiers planned the mutiny.
Ragil claimed that on June 4 this year, he attended a meeting somewhere in San Juan with Capt. Gary Alejano, Lt. (s.g.) Antonio Trillanes IV and around 30 other military officers. Honasan allegedly arrived with Turingan at around 11 p.m.
In the meeting, Honasan supposedly discussed his National Recovery Program.
"We will never achieve reforms through the democratic processes because the people who are in power will not give up their positions as they have vested interests to protect," Ragil quoted Honasan as saying.
Ragil said he even argued with Honasan and asked the senator if the officers present were really committed to the cause.
"Kung kaya nating pumatay sa ating mga kalaban, kaya din nating pumatay sa mga kasamahang magtataksil (If we can kill enemies, we can also kill traitorous comrades)," Ragil quoted Honasan as saying.
The senator then spelled out the details of his "National Recovery Program" which would be implemented after they had established a military junta.
"He further said some of us will resign from the military service and occupy civilian positions in the new government," Ragil said.
After some discussion, Ragil claimed Honasan began a bizarre and melodramatic rite that appeared to be a blood compact.
"He read a prayer that sounded more like a pledge and we all recited it with raised arms and clenched fists. He then took a knife and demonstrated how to make a cut on the left upper inner arm until it bleeds," Ragil related.
"The cut was in the form of letter ‘I" in the old alphabet but was done in a way that it actually looked like a letter ‘H.’ Then, he pressed his right thumb against the blood and pressed the thumb on the lower middle portion of the copy of the prayer," the major said.
"He then covered his thumb mark in blood with tape ... (and) pressed the cut on his left arm against the NRP flag and left the ‘I’ mark on it. Everybody else followed," Ragil said.
For fear of his life, Ragil said he pretended to go through the rites and avoided the group’s members after the bizarre meeting.
On June 24, Honasan met with members of the Philippine Guardians Brotherhood Inc. (PGBI), a military-police fraternity which the senator heads as national chairman.
Between that day and July 27, PGBI members said they received calls regarding an activity on July 27.
But on that fateful Sunday, Capt. Gerardo Gambala allegedly announced that he and several others were withdrawing support from the chain of command.
"In the early morning of July 27, 2003, groups of the PGBI were seen moving towards Oakwood area from several directions," read the complaint.
The contingent coming from Magallanes Village was supposedly led by Macahiya, the one from Parañaque by Reyes while Duldulao, Briones and Lazo supposedly led other groups.
Police claim the groups were planing to converge on Oakwood Premier but were dispersed before they could reach the site of the mutiny.
In a briefing with a Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) forum, AFP chief of staff Gen. Narciso Abaya said that dozens of other military officers and men have been implicated in the mutiny.
Abaya said at least 355 soldiers — 108 junior officers and 247 enlisted men — took part in the rebellion, nearly double the original estimate of 150 to 200 men.
The AFP chief said 348 have been detained while two officers and five enlisted men are still at large.
Abaya said leaders of the mutiny started recruiting elite units for the coup try which was originally set to take place over the weekend.
The mutineers were recruited from all over the country ranging from the First Army Scout Rangers Regiment, the Navy’s Special Warfare Group, and the Marines; to the Reconnaissance Group and at least 12 Air Force officers.
"For the most part, the core group (is) already in confinement but there are still some who are supposed to be part of this conspiracy," Abaya said.
"There are no overt acts right now on their part, but we are still checking to determine whether silence means something. That’s why I cannot really give you an accurate assessment whether they are capable of doing (something) similar to what happened the other weekend," he added. - With Marichu Villanueva, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jaime Laude, wire services
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina filed the charge, prepared by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), with Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong yesterday afternoon.
Also charged were Capt. Felix Turingan, retired Col. Ernesto Macahiya, a certain retired Colonel Lazo and a certain Colonel Briones.
Former Honasan chief of staff George Duldulao and one Lina Reyes were also charged with rebellion along with 1,000 John and Jane Does.
Although Honasan is no longer with the military, government lawyers said he was charged with coup d’etat in his capacity as a government official.
But Honasan denied his involvement in the mutiny and said the evidence Lina and the police presented to the DOJ were "fabricated."
"I wasn’t involved," he told broadcast journalists via telephone without revealing his whereabouts. "It’s only a fabrication."
"That’s the problem when you do not present your evidence immediately because... evidence is either destroyed or fabricated," the senator told ABS-CBN’s "TV Patrol" news program.
It was the first time such charges were filed before prosecutors and President Arroyo assured in a separate statement there would be no special treatment for those found to be involved in the mutiny.
"There will be no (sacred) cows in this investigation," Mrs. Arroyo said. "The ax will fall heaviest upon those who use the pedestal of legitimate political power to destroy the very democratic system that installed them in office."
Apparently referring to Honasan, Mrs. Arroyo told a gathering of town and city officials that "those who have nothing to hide should not play hide and seek with the authorities."
"There is no reason for anybody to cry out persecution or witch hunt," the President said.
Honasan, 55, has made himself scarce since the military crushed the mutiny which broke out before dawn on July 27 and lasted for 20 hours.
His last public appearance was on July 29, a day after the resumption of congressional session, when he delivered a privileged speech in the Senate denying his involvement in the coup try.
Lina assured the public that despite a prevailing state of rebellion that allows the President to suspend the writ of habeas corpus and order warrantless arrests, Honasan will not be arrested without a warrant, as per an earlier agreement between the government and Senate President Franklin Drilon.
Under Article 135 of the Revised Penal Code, any person who leads or in any manner directs or commands others to undertake a coup d’etat shall suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years in prison.
Ragil claimed that on June 4 this year, he attended a meeting somewhere in San Juan with Capt. Gary Alejano, Lt. (s.g.) Antonio Trillanes IV and around 30 other military officers. Honasan allegedly arrived with Turingan at around 11 p.m.
In the meeting, Honasan supposedly discussed his National Recovery Program.
"We will never achieve reforms through the democratic processes because the people who are in power will not give up their positions as they have vested interests to protect," Ragil quoted Honasan as saying.
Ragil said he even argued with Honasan and asked the senator if the officers present were really committed to the cause.
"Kung kaya nating pumatay sa ating mga kalaban, kaya din nating pumatay sa mga kasamahang magtataksil (If we can kill enemies, we can also kill traitorous comrades)," Ragil quoted Honasan as saying.
"He further said some of us will resign from the military service and occupy civilian positions in the new government," Ragil said.
After some discussion, Ragil claimed Honasan began a bizarre and melodramatic rite that appeared to be a blood compact.
"He read a prayer that sounded more like a pledge and we all recited it with raised arms and clenched fists. He then took a knife and demonstrated how to make a cut on the left upper inner arm until it bleeds," Ragil related.
"The cut was in the form of letter ‘I" in the old alphabet but was done in a way that it actually looked like a letter ‘H.’ Then, he pressed his right thumb against the blood and pressed the thumb on the lower middle portion of the copy of the prayer," the major said.
"He then covered his thumb mark in blood with tape ... (and) pressed the cut on his left arm against the NRP flag and left the ‘I’ mark on it. Everybody else followed," Ragil said.
For fear of his life, Ragil said he pretended to go through the rites and avoided the group’s members after the bizarre meeting.
Between that day and July 27, PGBI members said they received calls regarding an activity on July 27.
But on that fateful Sunday, Capt. Gerardo Gambala allegedly announced that he and several others were withdrawing support from the chain of command.
"In the early morning of July 27, 2003, groups of the PGBI were seen moving towards Oakwood area from several directions," read the complaint.
The contingent coming from Magallanes Village was supposedly led by Macahiya, the one from Parañaque by Reyes while Duldulao, Briones and Lazo supposedly led other groups.
Police claim the groups were planing to converge on Oakwood Premier but were dispersed before they could reach the site of the mutiny.
Abaya said at least 355 soldiers — 108 junior officers and 247 enlisted men — took part in the rebellion, nearly double the original estimate of 150 to 200 men.
The AFP chief said 348 have been detained while two officers and five enlisted men are still at large.
Abaya said leaders of the mutiny started recruiting elite units for the coup try which was originally set to take place over the weekend.
The mutineers were recruited from all over the country ranging from the First Army Scout Rangers Regiment, the Navy’s Special Warfare Group, and the Marines; to the Reconnaissance Group and at least 12 Air Force officers.
"For the most part, the core group (is) already in confinement but there are still some who are supposed to be part of this conspiracy," Abaya said.
"There are no overt acts right now on their part, but we are still checking to determine whether silence means something. That’s why I cannot really give you an accurate assessment whether they are capable of doing (something) similar to what happened the other weekend," he added. - With Marichu Villanueva, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jaime Laude, wire services
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