Tanay Hearing, Troops deployed as civilian defense lawyers walk out

CAMP CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal – In a show of force, the Armed Forces of the Philippines deployed hundreds of battle-ready troops near the military courthouse here as tension mounted during hearing of the 28 Marines and Scout Ranger officers Friday.

 The legal proceedings were cut short following the refusal of the civilian defense counsels and the three accused earlier present in the proceedings, to return to the courtroom following the noonbreak.

The seven-man military court headed Maj. Gen. Jogy Leo Fojas, had no other option but to grant the motion for continuance filed by lead military prosecutor, Lt. Col. Loy Feliciano due to the absence of the defense counsels and the refusal of Marine Cols. Ariel Querubin, Rolando de Leon and Maj. Francisco Domingo Fernandez to courtroom.

Ex-Scout Ranger chief, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, who also attended the hearing in the morning also failed to return to the courtroom after he was rushed by police custodians to Camp Crame for hypertension.  

The four were only among 28 officers facing charges in connection with the failed attempt to topple the Arroyo government in Feb. 24, 2006 that attended the hearing. 

The rest led by ex-Marine Commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, were reportedly prevented from attending the legal proceedings by their custodians for their refusal to be handcuffed while being taken to court.

Lim’s blood pressure shot up to 180 over 120, forcing his police-doctor escort to seek permission from the military prosecutors to immediately rush the officer to Camp Crame hospital.

While Loy was lenient to Lim, he urged the court to impose sanctions against most of the civilian counsels for non-returning to the hearing after a lunch break.  – Jaime Laude