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Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Cardozo Luna and former Social
Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman take the witness stand
Thursday at the resumption of trial of the coup case filed against
Sen. Antonio Trillanes 4th and some members of the Magdaló group
before the Makati Regional Trial Court.
Lawyer Ernesto Francisco, counsel for the
defense, said the two will testify as the Magdaló’s witnesses
before the sala of Makati Judge Oscar Pimentel.
“Secretary Soliman has already manifested her
desire to testify since she returned from her speaking engagement
abroad,” Francisco said.
Earlier, Francisco asked the court to defer the
testimony of Soliman for today’s hearing since she has to attend a
conference in the United Kingdom from June 16 to 24.
Soliman will testify on the government’s
relief efforts to thousands of families affected by the military
operation in February 2003 at the Buliok Complex in Pikit, North
Cotabato against elements of the Pentagon kidnap-for-ransom gang and
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Luna, who at that time was the
commander of Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade, will be asked
questions on the military operations.
Francisco said the operation killed hundreds of
combatants from both sides and resulted in the displacement of some
300,000 residents in the area.
“We are going back to the real reason why the
Magdaló group went to Oakwood in July 27, 2003,” said Francisco
adding that the Oakwood incident was no coup and that the
disgruntled soldiers were just expressing their grievances against
corruption in the government and military.
The defense lawyer added that the group did not
call for the resignation nor the overthrow of the duly-constituted
authorities led by President Gloria Arroyo.
But the prosecution belittled the defense and
said the testimonies of the two would have no bearing on the case.
“It is precisely why the case of coup d’etat
was filed against them. The threat and intimidation were directed at
the duly-constituted authorities,” Navera said.
“If their going in to Oakwood was just to
raise soldier’s grievances, why then did they initially refuse to
negotiate,” he added.
Aside from Trillanes, among the core leaders of
the Magdalo were Marine captains Gary Alejano and Nicanor Faeldon,
Navy Lt. Senior Grade James Layug and Army captains Gerardo Gambala
and Milo Maestrecampo.
Gambala and Maestrecampo were recently released
from detention after they were pardoned by President Arroyo.
-- Jayson Cruz Luna
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