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West Point classmate on Lim: He’s no
rebel, just an idealist
By Nikko Dizon, Philippine
Daily Inquirer, 04/27/2008
MANILA, Philippines—For Darryl
Mobley, one of America’s popular life coaches, his first trip to the
Philippines turned out to be more than just for a speaking engagement for a
top multinational corporation.
It led to a reunion with a
classmate he had not seen in three decades—a friend who, unbeknownst to him,
had been tagged an enemy by the government.
When Mobley saw Army Brig. Gen.
Danilo Lim at the latter’s court-martial hearing early this month, memories
of the years they spent together at the US Military Academy at West Point
came flooding back.
“We recognized each other right
away. Danny had the same smile, the same kind of intensity. He was always
kind of intense but he would crack jokes,” Mobley told the Inquirer in a
recent interview at the Peninsula Manila hotel, where he was billeted for a
week-long stay for his “work life balance” lectures for Procter & Gamble
employees.
Ironically, it was this same
Makati hotel that Lim, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and their supporters had
taken over for six hours before police crashed an armored personnel carrier
into the front entrance and lobbed tear gas into the foyer in November last
year.
Mobley, who left the US Army
nine years ago, said he told their West Point classmates that he would
update them on “everything that has happened to Danny,” the only Filipino in
the Class of 1978, during their four-day 30th reunion celebration that ends
today.
Lim, who also received the
invitation sent to every ’78 alumnus, would not be attending the
homecoming—for obvious reasons.
Meeting each other after so many
years, Mobley and Lim lost no time catching up during a break in the hearing
at Camp Aguinaldo.
Mobley rang up some of their
West Point classmates, waking them up at 3 a.m. in the United States, just
so they could say “Hello” to Lim. He also called up his wife in Texas and
introduced her to Lim and Lim’s wife.
Two days later, after being
given permission by Lim’s military and police custodians, Mobley visited him
at the Camp Crame custodial center where the Army general has been detained
with Trillanes and the Magdalo leaders since the Nov. 29 Peninsula Manila
siege.
But at least for a few hours,
the two friends had their own reunion—albeit under heavy guard and within
the confines of a detention compound.
Had it not been for his Procter
& Gamble speaking engagement, Mobley said he would not have been able to see
Lim.
“I thought it was fate that sent
me here,” he said, adding that he asked Lim’s wife, Aloy, and their
17-year-old daughter to regularly update him about his friend.
For Mobley, 50, seeing Lim
incarcerated—tried by a military tribunal for leading a mutiny and charged
in a criminal court for rebellion—was unbelievable.
“Danny is not a rebel. Danny is
an idealist in a world that is not so ideal ... Rebels oftentimes exist for
their own purpose,” he said.
Lim had been involved in the
1989 coup, the bloodiest uprising against then President Corazon Aquino, the
failed February 2006 alleged power grab, and the Nov. 29 walkout from the
Magdalo hearing that led to the Peninsula siege.
In the last two incidents, Lim
was one with other military officers in denouncing the alleged massive
corruption in the government, as well as the purported cheating in the May
2004 elections, supposedly with the help of some military generals, to favor
Ms Arroyo.
But even with Lim’s supposed
rebellious nature, he served the Armed Forces well after being granted
amnesty which expunged his participation in the 1989 coup.
He became the commander of the
First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR), an elite fighting force of the Armed
Forces, and the youngest officer to be given star rank.
As early as then, there was talk
among the troops that Lim would become Army chief, and eventually, AFP chief
of staff.
Mobley, for his part, is known
as the “black Dr. Phil” and the “male Oprah,” having made a name for himself
for being an “expert on how to make a life worth living.”
He is a marketing consultant, an
excellent motivational speaker, and the force behind Family Digest Magazine,
the leading family and relationships publication for black Americans.
Mobley lost contact with Lim
soon after graduation as the latter returned to the Philippines to serve in
the Army.
It was only when Mobley was in
South Korea en route to Manila for a speaking engagement that he decided to
“google” Lim.
“While in Korea, I ‘googled’ his
name, figured I’d look him up and say ‘Hi.’ And the first thing I see is an
article about him being in trouble. I said, ‘Whaat?’” Mobley narrated.
During his talk at Procter &
Gamble, he told his audience that his friend “Danny Lim” was in trouble. “I
said if anybody sees him, please tell him that I hope he’s OK ... I don’t
know what happened, but the Danny that I know would not try to hurt people.”
That night, he received a call
from Vicente Verdadero, Lim’s lawyer.
Verdadero’s daughter, a Procter
& Gamble employee, had been in the audience when Mobley spoke about Lim.
“It was providential,” Verdadero
said. Lim, he added, was ecstatic when he learned that Mobley was in the
country and they would have a chance to meet.
Verdadero said Lim became
misty-eyed when he and Mobley met for the first time at the court-martial
hearing.
The lawyer said it was the first
time he saw the general like this in all the years they have known each
other.
“People will be very surprised
that Danny would be behind bars anywhere because this Danny... was always
one who’d do what is right. That’s his deal,” Mobley said. “Danny’s always
going to step up and be heard when the situation calls for it.”
Mobley and Lim became friends in
their late teens, as West Point cadets trying to hurdle the grueling and
challenging training to become Army officers.
He said they became “quite
close,” especially after taking a summer training class together. They took
the same engineering and math classes, boxed, wrestled, parachuted, played
cards and traveled together.
“I knew him quite well,” Mobley
said, noting that Lim was the first Filipino he ever met.
The cadet from the Philippine
Military Academy (PMA) who earned a slot at West Point spoke passionately
about his country.
“I knew then that he loved the
Philippines. He made me want to come to the Philippines because he spoke
about it so much,” Mobley said.
At West Point, Mobley and Lim
“took very seriously” the honor code: “A cadet would not lie, cheat and
steal, and he won’t tolerate those who do.”
Mobley said that while observing
his friend’s court-martial, he was a bit confused about the charges.
He was going to be “delicate,”
Mobley said, in talking about his observations, admitting that he was not
too familiar with the goings-on in the Philippines and the intricacies of
its politics.
He said it was sad to see his
friend Lim incarcerated, “the exact same Danny who loves the Philippines and
wants it to be a better place for everyone.”
Lim has been consistent in
saying he sacrificed his own career not because he wanted power, but because
he wanted to see genuine reforms in the Armed Forces and in the country as a
whole.
As a motivational speaker,
Mobley said he would tell his friend that “change is necessary for people,
institutions, even as a process to improve.”
“A seed must crack its shell to
grow. A tree, every year, must change leaves. The waves change. Seasons
change. The critical thing—when you are dealing with people—is how to create
change such that you get to the end point in a way that is consistent with
your values,” he said. “If you lead, the power of your ideas should lead
people to a better place.”
Lim remains motivated, according
to Mobley.
“You can tell he is not broken.
One of my models is ‘We don’t give up, we don’t give in, we never quit. And
I told him, Danny, don’t give up, don’t give in and don’t quit,’” he said,
adding: “But that doesn’t mean you don’t step back and look at the
situation. But keep the spirit and do what you have to do.”
“I just want him safe,” Mobley
said of Lim as he prepared to go back to the United States. “He’s my friend.
I just want him safe.”
----------------------------------------
Update: Maj. Aquino was allowed a six-
day leave last Friday. He will be able to pay his last respects to his
sister.
This appeared
in the Tribune, April 16, 2008
A sister had long waited for a brother in her death bed, and
when he called, she just saved her last breath to say goodbye to him.
Army Scout Ranger Maj. Jason
Aquino never made it to see his sister before she died Monday morning.
And to this day, that request, although approved by the military court,
has never been honored by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of
Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
Officers detained at the maximum security compound of the Intelligence
Service of the AFP (Isafp) in Camp Aguinaldo lamented how the chief of
the 120,000-strong military can be so vindictive as to deny even a death
wish of a family of one of his men, even as it has been also noted that
Esperon moved with speed in acting on the supposed request for pardon of
the nine convicted junior officers of the Oakwood mutiny.
Aquino had since been requesting
an emergency leave to see his dying sister in Cebu who had been
diagnosed with cervical cancer. While the military court trying Aquino
for mutiny favorably granted the request for humanitarian
considerations, Esperon being the convening authority, disapproved the
first request on Nov. 14, 2007, citing Aquino as a security risk.
But aware that it was just a
matter of time before his sister died, Aquino persisted with his request
through motions that his lawyers had put forth at every opportunity
during their court martial hearings. Since February, the court had
consistently granted the petitions, but as it is in the military system,
it is subject to the approval of the Chief of Staff who convened the
military court.
Aquino’s sister died Monday
morning. Esperon never gave his approval for the detained officer to see
his sister for the last time, before dying and perhaps even for her
interment.
Aquino is the only son in a brood
of three. His mother is a widow. But unlike former Magdalo leader Army
Capt. Milo Maestrecampo, who regretted that his incarceration denied him
the privilege to be around when his father died, Aquino stood his ground
never to beg for Esperon’s mercy to grant his request.
“My request to visit my ailing
sister had been on his desk since Nov. 2007. That request was endorsed
for favorable approval twice by the General Court Martial Panel. Still
that request was not acted upon. Now my sister is dead. If he (Esperon)
thinks I will beg for mercy just to be able to attend the wake of my
beloved sister, Esperon is very wrong. For I beg no mercy but justice,”
Aquino said in a message relayed to the Tribune.
His statement further read:
“Justice demands fair application. It neither favors nor selects upon
whom it should apply. For he who takes the law into his own hands,
places himself under the scrutiny of civilized people and defames the
very justice he seeks to enforce.”
Aquino is a baron of PMA class
1991, the institution’s highest leadership award. He graduated Cum Laude
and among his many awards was the Chief of Staff of the AFP Saber and
author of the Cadet Conduct Policy which governs the conduct of behavior
of all members of the cadet corps of the PMA.
Other requests for medical
treatment of other detained officers facing mutiny charges in connection
with the alleged February 2006 plan to withdraw support from President
Arroyo as well as the Marines stand-off, while approved by the military
court are yet to be acted upon.
Aquino believes he was being
singled out, pointing out that others who had requested to attend
graduation rites of their children last March were allowed to attend.
The detained Major believes he
earned the ire of Esperon in 2005 when Aquino dared to reason against an
irrational order of Esperon.
Aquino recalled he was still the
operations officer of the First Scout Ranger Regiment in 2005 when
Esperon, a Special Operations Command chief, asked him to create an
anti-riot force out of the Scout Rangers company to be used against
heightening protests related to the “Hello Garci” controversy. Aquino
reasoned that such a task is a police matter and that the Army Scout
Rangers aren’t trained and equipped for the job. He dared asked Esperon
if he would also take responsibility as Aquino would be willing to take,
saying he could not assure that his men will not open fire at protesters
in the event of that the soldiers will be smashed on the face during a
riot. Aquino only remembered how Esperon walked out of the conference
then, after that he was told by Esperon’s staff that Esperon doesn’t
take “no” for an answer. He said it was supposed to be Esperon’s way of
winning favors from the President to better his chances to be appointed
as commanding General of the Philippine Army.
In connection with the supposed
plot to withdraw support from Arroyo, Aquino was arrested on Feb. 27,
2006 and was placed in solitary confinement for four months. He has
since been detained along with 19 Army Scout Rangers and nine Marines
officers.
Of the 28 detained officers,
former Marines commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda has already been
moved back to Tanay from Isafp, and the third batch of detainees,
belonging to the Philippine Military Class of 1994 followed yesterday.
Thus far, only 8 detained officers have been left in the Isafp detention
quarters, Aquino among them. They are to be transferred to Tanay in the
last two batches.
Brig. Gen. Danny Lim is one of the
28 officers facing mutiny charges but he is detained with Sen. Antonio
Trillanes IV and the other Magdalo officers in Camp Crame . Capt. Dante
Langkit also a co-accused with Lim is in the ISG compound in Fort
Bonifacio. Two other officers of the Marines, Colonels Januario Caringal
and Armando Banez are in hospital confinement and they are among the 28
detainees.
The next court martial hearing
originally set on Friday was moved to the 23rd and most likely will be
held in Camp Capinpin, Tanay. it is expected that Esperon as the
convening authority shall have decided on the possible recommendation of
the prosecution to drop the charges against the detained officers. The
prosecution during the last court martial hearing agreed to review the
charges and possibly recommend to Esperon a declaration of nolle
prosequi. Of the 28 accused, only Miranda had so far been read the
charges as the most senior. But before he could even enter his plea a
military defense counsel raised an urgent manifestation asking the
prosecution to review the records of the case to determine if there is a
basis for “nolle prosequi,” which translated means null prosecution or
no prosecution and it involves the withdrawal of charges.
Last February the military court
granted petitions for medical treatment of several officers detained at
the Isafp. It was only Monday that medal of Valor Awardee, Marines Col.
Custodio Parcon was allowed a medical check up at the V. Luna hospital
to prepare him for his hand surgery that was long overdue. Lt. Belinda
Ferrer, the only lady detainee in the Marines Corps, although already
allowed treatment for nodes that were detected on her breast, has yet to
see her doctor. Another Medal of Valor Awardee Col. Ariel Querubin after
his release from V. Luna Hospital on April 4, was rushed back to the
hospital again. This time he was found to have multiple medical
conditions, and was moved to Camp Aguinaldo Hospital on Monday where
another co-detainee, Army Scout Ranger Maj. Jose Leomar Doctoloero is
also confined. Marines Col. Orlando De Leon is yet to see the
continuation of his therapy for his spine that was abruptly aborted when
he was returned to Tanay detention last year due to alleged security
reasons.
by Victor Reyes, Malaya
Officers linked to the alleged power
grab attempt in February 2006 yesterday gave Armed Forces chief Gen.
Hermogenes Esperon Jr., who is due to retire from the
service in two weeks, a failing grade as the military chief for close to
two years.
“No one has
brought more shame to the institution,” former Scout Ranger chief Brig.
Gen. Danilo Lim said of Esperon in a handwritten statement issued at the
sidelines of a court martial hearing against the accused officers inside
Camp Aguinaldo.
It was Esperon who ordered the trial of Lim and 27 other Army and Marine
officers for allegedly attempting to march to Edsa Shrine, where they
were supposed to anti-government protesters and subsequently withdraw
support from President Arroyo.
“The pimp in the prostitution of
the military establishment,” Lim also said of Esperon, a staunch
advocate against military adventurism who is described by some sectors
as one of the most loyal generals of President Arroyo.
Sought for a comment, Esperon
said: “Let us not dignify the statement of a egalomaniac destabilizer
who thinks he is the savior o the Philippines.” He is referring to Lim,
a graduate of the US Military Academy in West Point in 1978.
“Rather, let us exalt soldiers,
both in the frontlines and in garrisons, who make it a point to
contribute, no matter how small and lowly, to overall mission
accomplishments,” the military chief also said.
Esperon said many soldiers, who he
said are satisfied to be in the silence, “continue risking their lives
and accomplishing more than self-proclaimed heroes, yet they remain
humble and simply keep on soldiers.”
“They also respect their comrades
capabilities. They never think only them can could be good. They remain
to be humble and keep on soldiering,” added Esperon, who is set to leave
the service on May 9 after a three-month extension of his term.
Another accused officer, Marine
Col. Ariel Querubin said Esperon did not do well in the campaign against
the New People’s Army. President Arroyo extended Esperon’s term to
sustain the fight against the communists.
Last Wednesday, Esperon reported
that they have dismantled only eight guerilla fronts during the first
quarter of the year, seven short of their target. However, there was a
notable decrease in the strength of the rebels, their firearms and
affected barangays.
“Honestly, he performed below par.
Most of his time were spent containing us but still he wasn’t able to
achieve his objectives. Because of his preoccupation to us, he wasn’t
able to meet his goals set in his counter-insurgency campaign,” he said.
During the proceedings, military
prosecutor Lt. Col. Jose Feliciano Loi said that there is no ground to
endorse a “nolle proseque” for the accused officers. He said a review of
the documents indicated that all the accused committed an offense.
The accused officers are being
tried by the military tribunal for a number of charges, including
violation of the Article of War 67 or mutiny and Article of War 96 or
conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman.
The defense earlier asked the
prosecution to review the documents of the cases filed against the
accused officers and endorse a “nolle proseque” to Esperon, who is the
court’s convening authority, if it is warranted.
When asked by defense lawyer
Homobono Adaza who are among the witnesses to be presented by the
prosecution, Loi said: “If you want, we will present the chief of staff
as our first witness.” He said Esperon, who has executed an affidavit
detailing the power grab attempt, is among their 20 witnesses.
The court martial
proceedings was adjourned due to lack of quorum. The court’s president,
Maj. Gen. Jogy Leo Fojas, set the next hearing on May 6.
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Pardoning Mister Esperon
We might consider
pardoning Mister Esperon for the crime he committed in the 2004 elections as
long as he shows remorse and is willing to face the criminal and military
justice system. Like the Magdalo Nine, whom he made as an example, Esperon
should walk the talk and ask forgiveness from the Filipino people and the
members of the Armed Forces of the Philppines (AFP) for prostituting the
organization. Only then would we consider giving him pardon for the sins he
has committed..
While Esperon
does his darndest best to evade the system…we likewise, do our darndest best
to face it. We are more than willing to go through the trial and subject
ourselves to the military system, if only to show that we do not want the
system to be further eroded by vested interests and capricious
manipulations. Ours is to prevent illegal precedents that would bear on
future generations. While it is true that we are bearing the brunt of the
military justice system, we likewise are comforted by the thought that we
could fight against its prostitution. That would be our legacy. And we hope
that the same thought is shared by the people involved in the process.
As Officers and
Gentlemen, we are more than lenient and reconciliatory to our erring
brothers in arms, especially Mister Esperon, provided they show sincere
remorse, humbled themselves and face justice for the offenses they have
committed.
Pardon comes
after justice is served.
28
Tanay Officers
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SINS OF THE
CAVALIERS
The following
exposés detailed the sins of commission/omission by Cavaliers during the
2004 Presidential Elections. You be the judge…
CASH
DISTRIBUTION IN SULU
Sulu, May
2004
While the
canvassing of votes was being done inside Military Camps in Jolo, Sulu,
watchers from both the Opposition and Administration Parties were given wads
of cash by officers for them to leave the canvassing area. After the
watchers left, the results were rigged in favor of GMA. The money was
brought by MGEN HERMOGENES ESPERON (Cav ’74) in large black backpacks
and distributed to concerned commanders.
Then MGEN
GABRIEL HABACON (Cav ’72) was the Commander of Task Force COMET based in
Sulu. For his participation in the election cheating, HABACON was
promoted to Commander, SOUTHCOM under scandalous circumstances that forced
the cancellation of the turn-over ceremonies for the supposed new commander,
MGEN SAMUEL BAGASIN (Cav ’72).
Then COL
NEHEMIAS PAJARITO (Cav ‘76) was the Brigade Commander of the 104th
Brigade based in Sulu. For his involvement in the election cheating,
PAJARITO was later promoted to BGEN. He later got his second star.
Then COL
NELSON ALLAGA (Cav ’76) was the Brigade Commander of the 3rd
Marine Brigade based in Sulu. He later admitted openly to several Marine
officers that he distributed money to his battalion commanders to rig the
results in favor of GMA. For this, he was promoted to BGEN. He is now LTGEN
and Commander of WESMINCOM.
GEN.
ESPERON’s INSTRUCTIONS
Tawi-Tawi,
May 2004
During the
municipal and, later, provincial canvassing in Tawi-Tawi, then Navy
CAPTAIN FELICIANO ANGUE (Cav ’78) kept on calling COL ARIEL QUERUBIN
(Cav ’79) to express his disgust with then MGEN HERMOGENES ESPERON’s
(Cav ’74) because of the latter’s instruction for him (ANGUE) to
tamper with the election results in Tawi-Tawi so that GMA gets additional
votes in Tawi-Tawi. ANGUE told QUERUBIN that instead of
complying, he appealed to ESPERON that the “special operations” be
done elsewhere since Tawi-Tawi does not have a big voter population to play
with. Because of his non-cooperation, ANGUE was immediately relieved of his
post. However, since he kept quiet about this incident, he was eventually
promoted to Commodore.
PMA CLASS ’77
“Chicken Club”
Camp Crame,
Not long after election
Members of
Class ’77 have what they call the “CHICKEN CLUB” which meets every Wednesday
for lunch at Camp Crame. The said lunch meeting was usually hosted by
S/SUPT EDGARDO H DIVINA. Not long after the ’04 elections, then COL
RAYMUNDO FERRER attended a “CHICKEN CLUB” meeting with more than a dozen
members of the class. Among those present are BOY CAMAGAY, MANDY
ANDAYA, and CHITO MANGUBAT. FERRER, at that time, was
Brigade Commander of the Army Brigade based in Basilan. He was bragging to
his classmates that he was the one who “took charge of the ballot boxes” in
Basilan. He was relating it like it was the most commendable thing he has
ever done. FERRER was later promoted to BGEN (also the first Army
general of his class), and later on, was also the first to get a second
star.
GEN SENGA’S
REVELATIONS
Camp
Aguinaldo, 2000H 23 February 2006
During a
meeting at the Chief of Staff’s Office, GEN GENEROSO SENGA (Cav ’72)
confessed to BGEN DANILO LIM (Cav ’78), COL ARIEL QUERUBIN (Cav
’79) and MGEN RODRIGO MACLANG (Cav ’76) that he himself is “not
clean” and he was also “used “during the 2004 presidential election
cheating
THE MAYUGA
REPORT
The
controversial MAYUGA REPORT, which holds the key to the above exposés, has
not been released. The only thing that was released was the 2 page summary
that states:
“Finally, the
Board has been able to identify certain lapses in procedures in the conduct
of COMELEC deputized duties as well as irregularities of some military
personnel and thereby recommended corrective actions such as:
1. Reassess
the utilization of military personnel as members of the Board of Election
Inspectors and clustering of precincts;
2. Restudy
the utilization of military camps for canvassing of votes;
3.
Deputization by names;
4.
Formulation of policies regarding AFP participation in future electoral
exercises; and
5. Conduct
of further investigation to determine the specific culpability of some AFP
personnel on their alleged” involvement in the 2004 elections cheating.
HELLO GARCI
SCANDAL
THE GARCI
GENERALS
(from
www.gmanew.tv based
on the transcript of the “Hello Garci” Tape)
A
conversation between COMELEC Commissioner Garcillano and different
personalities including Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo that confirms on how the so
called “Garci Generals” used their power and influence to control the
elections in favor of GMA
'GARCI' GENERALS and other military and police officials whose names were
mentioned in the Hello Garci wiretapped conversations
BRIG. GEN. FRANCISCO GUDANI,
Marine brigade commander in charge of the Lanao provinces: Gudani's name was
mentioned in the Hello Garci recordings (May
28 22:13 and
June 8 13:25) as the
uncooperative military officer who refused to go along with COMELEC
Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano. He defied
EO 464 and appeared
at a Senate hearing on the Hello Garci wiretapping controversy on September
28, 2005. The executive order, issued earlier that day, banned senior
government officials including the military from appearing in congressional
investigations without the prior approval of President Arroyo. During the
hearing, Gudani said that he saw vote-buying and other irregularities in
Lanao during the 2004 elections. Citing information from his unnamed source,
he also claimed First Gentleman Mike Arroyo flew to Mindanao twice in a
private helicopter days before the election to deliver boxes containing
approximately P500 million. Gudani also said that he was called to Manila
by his superiors "just to play golf" when all armed forces unit commanders
were on red alert in the days after the 2004 elections, when vote counting
was being done. He became assistant superintendent of the Philippine
Military Academy eventually sacked from his post and charged by the AFP with
violation of Article of War 65 (willful disobedience of a superior officer)
following his appearance at the Senate hearing.
BRIG. GEN.
HERMOGENES ESPERON, JR.,
Deputy chief of staff for operations. A "Gen. Esperon" was mentioned in the
Hello Garci recordings (May
28 22:13;
June 8 13:25). In
the conversations, "Gen. Esperon" was mentioned along with "Gen. Kyamko" as
having a hand in temporarily taking out Brig. Gen. Gudani from Marawi and
Lanao during the canvassing of votes in those areas. He replaced Lt. Gen.
Generoso Senga as commanding general of the Philippine Army in 2005, (after
the Hello Garci recordings came out).
LT. GEN. ROY
KYAMKO,
Commander, Southern Command. A "Gen. Kyamko" was
mentioned in the Hello Garci recordings (May
28 22:13;
June 8 13:25)
In the
conversations, "Gen. Kyamko" was mentioned along with "Gen. Esperon" as
having a hand in temporarily taking out Brig. Gen. Gudani from Marawi and
Lanao during the canvassing of votes in those areas.
MAJ. GEN.
GABRIEL HABACON,
Chief of Task Force Comet, whose jurisdiction included
the Western Mindanao region. A "Gen. Habacon" was mentioned in the Hello
Garci recordings (May
29 14:00;
June 2 22:29). In the
conversations, the man believed to be Garcillano allegedly said that Habacon
still did not know much about matters pertaining to changes in election
returns. After the elections, Habacon became commanding general of the 1st
Infantry Division, Philippine Army. In January 2006, he was appointed chief
of the Southern Command, replacing Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan; Habacon assumed
the post just months before his retirement in September 2006.
Sen. Rodolfo
Biazon dubbed Habacon's appointment as a "payback appointment".
P/DIR. GEN.
ARTURO LOMIBAO,
Director, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection
Group. A "Gen. Lomibao" was mentioned in the Hello Garci recordings (June
5 17:01;
June 6 19:00;
June 7 20:38). In the
conversations, it seemed that the man believed to be Garcillano had
coordinated with or contacted Lomibao during the canvassing of votes, and
that Lomibao went to Zamboanga. Became chief of the directorial staff.
Appointed PNP
chief in March 2005.
(Ret.) GEN.
HERMOGENES EBDANE, JR.,
Chief, PNP. A "Gen. Ebdane" was mentioned in the Hello
Garci recording on
June 5 17:01. In the
conversation, the man believed to be Garcillano mentioned that it was Ebdane
who instructed Lomibao to go to "Languyan". (Languyan is a municipality in
Tawi-Tawi province). Appointed National Security Adviser by President Arroyo
when his stint as PNP chief ended in 2004.
Appointed
DPWH secretary in February 2005.
COL.
AMINKADRA SALAHUDDIN UNDUG,
Commanding officer of ISAFP MIG9 based in Zamboanga. A
"Col. Undug" was mentioned in the Hello Garci recording on
June 5 13:41. In the
recording, one of the men said he asked the ISAFP through "Col. Undug" in
Zamboanga to pick up the family of a certain "Rashma" and use them as a
"bargaining chip" to prevent this "Rashma" from "talking."
Excerpts from the
Hello Garci transcript:
May 28 22:13 Conversation between a male (believed to be Garcillano) and a
female (believed to be President Arroyo)
Garcillano:
Hello, good evening ma’am.
GMA: Hello,
the FPJ camp raw will file a case against the Board of Canvassers of ano,
dun sa Marawi, and the military?
Garcillano:
Ano ma’am?
GMA: The FPJ
camp raw will file a case raw against the Board of Canvassers and the
military in Marawi?
Garcillano: Hindi naman ho siguro nila maa-ano yung
ating Board of Canvassers, pero ang military, kasi si Gudani, sa kanila si
Gudani. I do not know why they will file.
GMA: Oo, oo.
Garcillano: Sa kanila si Gudani ma’am. In fact that’s
why we have, I have to work with Gen. Esperon and Gen. Kyamko na at that
time, pinalitan namin si Gudani for a while. Kaya kwan, pero bakit nila
file-filan yang mga military na sa kanila lahat. Halos ayaw na nga mag-give
way sa aming mga tao.
GMA: Oo,
meron silang pina ... (line cut)
May 29 14:00 Conversation between Gary (V. Garcillano) and one unidentified
female believed to be PGMA (Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo)
GMA: Hello?
Garcillano:
Hello ma’am, good afternoon. Tumawag raw kayo ma’am?
GMA: Yes, oo.
Sabi nung kabila, nagpaplano-plano sila among themselves, meron daw silang
mga affidavits from teachers and Board of Canvassers na they witnessed and
were made to cheat.
Garcillano:
Wala naman hong, saan ho nila kaya, yung kwan ho kanina, yung sinabi nyo sa
Pangutaran it’s like this. It’s true na yung nag-appear doon, nabaligtad si
FPJ. Pero sa canvassing sa province, ang result yun din hong original ang
nalagay because of the words and figures were not changed.
GMA: Uh-hm,
uh-hm.
Garcillano: Kasi sila Gen. Habacon ba, hindi masyadong
marunong pa dyan, medyo sila ang umano nun. Nag-explain ho sa akin yung
election officer ng kwan, ng Pangutaran, si kwan.
GMA: Uh-hm…
Garcillano …
pero sa canvass, sinabi naman ho ng Provincial Board of Canvassers, ang
ginawa, yun din hong original votes nya, yun din ho ang nabilang kaya wala
ho (line cut)
June 2 22:29 Conversation between Gary (V. Garcillano) and unidentified
female believed to be PGMA (Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo)
Garcillano:
Hello, ma’am. Good evening.
GMA: Hello.
Dun sa Lanao del Sur tsaka sa Basilan, di raw nagmamatch ang SOV sa COC?
Garcillano:
Ang sinasabi nya, nawala na naman ho?
GMA: Hindi
nagmamatch.
Garcillano:
Hindi nagmamatch? May posibilidad na hindi magmatch kung hindi nila sinunod
‘yung individual SOV ng mga munisipyo. Pero aywan ko lang ho kung sa atin
pabor o hindi. Kasi doon
naman sa Basilan at Lanao Sur, itong ginawa nilang pagpataas sa inyo, hindi
naman ho kwan, maayos naman ang paggawa eh.
GMA: So
nagmamatch?
Garcillano: Oho. Sa Basilan, alam nyo naman ang mga
military dun eh hindi masyadong marunong kasi silang gumawa eh. Katulad ho
dun sa Sulu, sa General Habacon. Pero hindi naman ho, kinausap ko na ‘yung
Chairman ng Board sa Sulu. Ang akin patataguin ko na muna yung EO ng
Pangutaran na para hindi siya maka-testigo ho. Na-explain na ho yung sa
Camarines Norte. Tomorrow we will present the official communication dun ho
sa Senate. ‘Yung sinasabing wala hong laman ‘yung ballot box. Na- receive ho
nila lahat eh.
GMA: Oo, oo.
Garcillano:
Tumawag ho kayo kanina ma’am?
GMA: Yeah,
about that Lanao del Sur nga at tsaka Basilan.
Garcillano:
Iaano ko na lang ho, nag-usap na kami ni Abdullah dun sa kwan kanina. About
this, iaano ko ho, huwag ho kayong masyadong mabahala. Anyway, we will take
care of this. Kakausapin ko rin si Atty. Macalintal.
GMA: Oo.
Tapos nun, si uhm ... sa Languyan, meron daw silang teacher na nasa Witness
Protection
Program ng kabila. Languyan.
Garcillano:
Sino ho?
GMA: ‘Yung
kabila. May teacher daw silang hawak.
Garcillano:
Wala naman ho, baka nananakot lang ho sila kasi.
GMA: Languyan,
Tawi-Tawi.
Garcillano:
Languyan, Tawi-tawi? Wala naman ho tayong kwan dun, wala tayong ginawa dun,
sa Languyan. Talo nga tayo dun, talo nga si Nur dun eh.
GMA: Oo, oo.
Garcillano:
Sige, aanuhin ko ho lahat ng ‘yan.
GMA: Ok, ok.
Thank you.
June 5 13:41 Conversation between Gary (V. Garcillano) and a certain Boy
(believed to be either Renault “Boy” Macarambon or Renato “Boy” Magbutay)
Boy: Hello,
sir. Si Rashma parang nandyan sa Manila.
Garcillano:
Nasa Manila? Naku delikado. Hindi ba natin makontak?
Boy: Walang
ano … In-off ang cellphone. Pinahanap ko sa ISAFP.
Garcillano:
Ah ... delikado yan.
Boy: Oo nga, sabi ko sa ISAFP doon kay Colonel Undug
sa Zamboanga para may bargaining chip tayo dyan, eh damputin na natin ‘yung
pamilya din niya. Para di na siya makapagsalita.
Garcillano:
Oo nga eh.
Boy: Kasi
delikado yan eh.
Garcillano:
Pero nagawa bang talaga yan?
Boy: Ha?
Garcillano:
Nagtrabaho ba yan?
Boy:
Nagtrabaho yan sir, pero yung trabaho, limpio ang trabaho nila. Ang problema
ang Kang Patangan. Baka ang sabihin siguro niyan na binaligtad ni Kang
Patangan sa itaas, sa provincial level.
(line cut)
Boy: Hello,
sir.
Garcillano:
Boy, maghanap ka lang ng well-meaning na kamag-anak nya. Huwag mo munang
pakikidnap ‘yung pamilya. Soft touch muna na puwedeng maka-persuade sa kanya
o makapag … (line cut)
June 5 17:01 Conversation between Gary (V. Garcillano) and a certain Boy
(believed to be either Renault “Boy” Macarambon or Renato “Boy” Magbutay)
Garcillano:
Boy.
Boy: Hello
sir.
Garcillano: Hello Boy, tawagan ka ni Gen. Lomibao ha.
Siya ang pinadala kahapon pa diyan ni Gen. Ebdane…dahil concerned sila
primero sa Languyan…Pero ok naman…
Boy: Languyan
o Tuburan?
Garcillano:
Languyan. Primero Languyan hapun..
Boy: Languyan?
Si Adnan?
(translated from the Visayan original)
Man: Wala
naman silang sinasabing ganyan.
Garcillano:
Meron. Kahapon pa.
Man: Ganoon
ba?
Garcillano:
Oo. Nasabihan ko na niyan si Mike Abas.
Man: So,
tatawag na lang siya sa akin mamaya, sir?
Garcillano: Oo, tatawag siya sa iyo. Di niya alam na
nasa iisang lugar lang kami. Akala niya siguro nasa Mindanao ako. Si Gen.
Lomibao ba.
Man: Lomibao? Sa PNP?
Garcillano:
Oo, Chief PNP. General na siya.
June 6 19:00 Conversation between PGMA (Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) and
Garcillano (V. Garcillano)
GMA: Hello?
Garcillano:
Hello ma’am. Good evening. Tumawag po kayo.
GMA: Ah
dumating...dapat i-sigurado natin consistent yung mga documents sa
Maguindanao.
Garcillano:
Oo ma’am. Hindi naman ho masyadong problema sa Maguindanao. Ano ho yung
itinext ninyo kagabi na may mga fake precincts na ako raw ang mastermind?
GMA: Oo, oo.
Garcillano:
Pero ma’am … Ano ba naman. Hindi ko maintindihan what they are trying to
drive at when 120 days before elections established na ang precincts.
GMA: Ah ok,
ok. Siguro ano, mga shot in the dark lang ‘yun, but I’m just letting you
know everything I find out para we can always make the appropriate
remedies.
Garcillano: Si Gen. Lomibao nasa Zamboanga na. I have
all the people around us talk to him so that they will be able to prevent
who is going to work.
GMA: Ok. Ok.
Ok. Sige, thank you.
June 7 20:38 Conversation between Gary (V. Garcillano) and a certain Ruben
Garcillano:
Hello.
Ruben: Yeah,
Garci, si Ruben. Anong balita?
Garcillano:
Eto, nag-aano ako kasi. ‘Yung sa Tipo-tipo na tao, parang nasa kamay na nila.
Ruben: Oo nga
eh.
Garcillano:
Pero wala namang damage magagawa … (garbled) … pero kay Wahab. Kaya dapat si
Wahab ang gumalaw niyan.
Ruben: Pero,
magte-testify sya against the administration eh. Against the President.
Garcillano:
How can she? Wala naman siyang ginawa kay Presidente.
Ruben: Eh
hindi, di ba ang gagamiting magte-testify siguro ‘yun against the President
regarding the bawas-dagdag na ginawa dun sa ano.
Garcillano:
Wala naman siyang ginawa para kay Presidente dun sa kanya ah.
Ruben: Hindi,
‘yun ang pinepresenta di ba? Yan ‘yung pinepresenta ni Rufus Rodriguez pati
yung kay Ebron?
Garcillano:
Oo nga, pero wala naman. Kay Ebron, di niya makukuha si Ebron, wala na, di
niya makukuha.
Ruben: Si
Ebron nga, hindi na nga dahil as of two days ago, nakausap na nga raw eh.
Garcillano: Sinong nakausap?
Ruben: Si
Ebron, nakausap na ng military.
Garcillano:
Sabihin mo dyan sa military na ‘yan, wag silang masyadong kwan makikialam,
kasi sinampal pala si Ebron eh, aking tao yan eh, taga Batangas yan eh.
Ruben: Ah
ganun ba?
Garcillano:
Oo, huwag namang ganun. Bago nila ginawa yun nung primero, sinampal pa siya
eh, kaya mangiyak-ngiyak yung tao eh. Pero kahit pakainin mo ng bala yun, di
na magpapakita. Ngayon, itong si Rashma Hali, wala naman masasabi against
kay ma’am eh, kahit anong gawin nila because she has not done anything
except kay Wahab Akbar. Kaya dapat si Wahab ang mawarningan.
Ruben: Pero,
ano ba pare yung pinakikitang ano ni Rufus na ano?
Garcillano:
Ah, pabayaan mo siya but it does not have anything to do with the
President.
Ruben: Ibig
mong sabihin yung pinakikitang dinagdagan daw yung boto ni Presidente
eh....
Garcillano:
Hindi naman nila matetestiguhan kung hindi sa kanyang munisipyo.
Ruben: Yung
Tipo-tipo di ba?
Garcillano:
Oo nga, pero ang problema niyan, wala naman kay Presidente dyan.
Ruben: Hindi
ba yun ang pinepresenta ni Rufus na dinagdagan?
Garcillano:
Yung pinakikita ni Rufus, tingnan natin sa provincial canvass, kasi wala
naman nagagawa yan dun sa kanyang munisipyo. Bahala siya, kaya nga ina-ano
ko si Wahab, pina-aano ko kay Wahab ngayon, dapat si Presidente ma-kwan niya
kay Wahab para si Wahab ang kumuha ng taong yan kung hindi, ipakukuha ko ang
pamilya niyan.
Ruben:
Uh-hum.
Garcillano:
Yun na lang last resort ko, pakukuha ko ang pamilya nyan.
Ruben: Kaya
nga. Ganun talaga ang dapat gawin dun.
Garcillano:
Oo, pero dapat malaman ni Wahab na si Wahab, kasi ang more damage will be
against that Wahab Akbar, not the President.
Ruben: Bakit,
maapektuhan ba yung boto ni Wahab?
Garcillano:
Siya talaga ang ano, ang malaking ano, naka-pabor.
Ruben: Uh-hm.
Garcillano:
Kaya kung maaari papupuntahin ko nga rito yung supervisor, patago ko rin
dito sa kin. Because, I want to clean out kung alin yung mga by municipality
results.
Ruben: Hindi
‘yun nga ang nagkakaproblema dahil si Wahab ang nagpatrabaho nyan eh.
Garcillano:
Eh ang problema niyang si Wahab, gumalaw si Wahab nung huli na.
Ruben: Huli
na nga eh. Akinse na nung gumalaw si Wahab eh.
Garcillano:
Alam mo si Wahab was working for FPJ actually.
Ruben: Oo,
nung una.
Garcillano:
Nung nalaman niyang matatalo si FPJ, saka bumaligtad.
Ruben: Sinabi
mo. Totoo talaga.
Garcillano: Yung mga tao namin diyan, eh galit na
galit sa kanya eh. Kaya ito, kung anuman, basta malalaman ko hanggang umaga,
ng maagang-maaga kung ano talaga ang score doon so I can tell
them to get her family kung halimbawa. Sabagay medyo matindi na ito kasi
nandun naman si Lomibao, nandun din si... ewan ko kung sino pang nandun, may
isang colonel na nandun. Kung kailangang kunin, di kunin na ang pamilya nya.
Lokohan na rin lang eh, di kwan. Pero yang Rufus na yan, wala namang alam
yan.
Ruben: Kaya
nga, kaya nga.
Garcillano:
Ewan ko lang kung pupunta pa uli yun, pakidnap ko siya. Nakakaano eh.
Ruben: Hindi
naman pumupunta, pero ang balita ko nandirito sa Parañaque.
Garcillano:
Nandito na yung ano...
Ruben |
