By Ronron
October 5, 2007
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. is being dared by officers accused of planning a coup d’ etat in February 2006 to speak “the truth” regarding the alleged fraud in the May 2004 elections.
In a statement given Friday to reporters, the 28 accused, led by Marine Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, said Esperon could do this as a favor to the nation and his family before he retires from the service in February next year.
“We have not given up on you, Mr. Esperon. There might still be some good left in you. You will be leaving the service in a few months time. Please do the nation and your family a favor,” the group wrote in the one-page statement entitled, “Mr. Esperon.”
“Tell the truth. Just tell the truth. You might still earn our salute,” they added.
It can be recalled that Esperon’s name was mentioned in the so-called “Hello Garci” tape, which, some people has considered as a proof to the alleged rigging of votes in the 2004 polls to favor President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo against oppositionist rival Fernando Poe, Jr.
Esperon denied committing any irregularity when he served as deputy commander of the AFP Task Force HOPE in the May 2004 polls. Subsequently, he was cleared by a military fact-finding probe headed by then AFP Inspector General Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga.
“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. Allegations that this man and a few criminal elements among the ranks of the AFP have allowed themselves to be used to subvert the Constitution and destroy the very essence of democracy have become our collective shame,” the group said.
The group of accused officers lamented that Esperon has turned to calling them derogatory names even when the court has yet to convict them of any crimes.
“We have been repeatedly called by Mr. Esperon as political destabilizers in almost every forum that affords him opportunity. We pose these questioned on you, Mr. Esperon: … Who stands accused of cheating in the 2004 elections? … Who stands accused of stealing votes? Who was mentioned in the Garci tapes,” the group said.
“Who hides behind EO 464 when given the opportunity to let the truth out? Who vigorously opposed the Mayuga report from being published?” they added.
“Who invokes the words STATE SECRET like a criminal who invokes the Fifth Amendment when caught? And since when has a criminal act become a STATE SECRET?” the group continued, apparently referring to Esperon’s repeated response that former Intelligence chief Vice Admiral Tirso Danga cannot just disclose all his knowledge about the “Hello Garci” scandal in a Senate inquiry.
Highlighting Esperon’s perceived loyalty to Arroyo, the group said: “Who cried unabashedly in front of national viewers when his mentor announced that she will not covet the Presidency again?”
It was in December 2002 when Arroyo proclaimed she is not running in the May 2004 Presidential elections. Esperon was then the chief of the Presidential Security Group.
The accused 28 have been in jail since last year after they were accused of plotting the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in collusion allegedly with the communist movement and some from the civilian sector.
They are currently facing charges for violation of various Articles of War even if they maintained that they were just actually trying to stop a brewing uprising from some members of the military organization when they approached then AFP chief of Staff Gen. Generoso Senga in February last year about the matter.
Esperon has vowed to apply the full force of the law against the 28 even as he admitted that Miranda is a classmate and even a roommate at the Philippine Military Academy in their plebe days. Both belong to the PMA Class of 1974./DMS
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