Makati court drops Honasan’s coup case

By Ronron
July 13, 2007

A Makati City court dropped on Friday the charge of coup d’ etat against Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan following the withdrawal of the complaint earlier by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Atty. Noni Tagalicud, clerk of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148, said Presiding Judge Oscar Pimentel ordered in open court the dismissal of the information against Honasan, which accused him as brain of the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny in Makati City.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez last June 22 absolved Honasan of any criminal liabilities in relation to the military adventurism almost four years ago due to “insufficiency of evidence.”

The move saddened the DOJ prosecutors handling the case, saying Honasan played a role during the recruitment of officers and soldiers who will take part in the takeover of the former Oakwood Hotel on July 27, 2003.

Honasan was implicated in the case after he was seen in a photograph of the alleged meeting of the Magdalo leaders and mentioned by some witnesses to be present during the preparatory meetings.

Tagalicud said a resolution or order about the dropping of the case is expected to be issued by the court on Monday.

Asked if there was a deal struck with the Arroyo administration over his absolution, Honasan said: “If this kind of process is being doubted to be a result of any arrangement or deal, what will happen to our justice system? Would we say then that those party-list congressmen whose cases were also dismissed were also striking a deal with the government? We should avoid that allegation.”

Honasan was arrested in November last year in Quezon City after going in hiding since February of the same year when a warrant for his arrest was issued in relation to his alleged involvement in the Oakwood incident.

The Senator was involved in a number of coup d’ etat activities during the latter part of the Aquino administration but was given amnesty by the Ramos administration./DMS