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DEFENSE counsel Ernesto Francisc Jr., counsel for the
Magdaló soldiers who are facing coup charges before a Makati court,
believe that the testimonies of former Social Welfare Secretary
Corazon “Dinky” Soliman and Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff
Gen. Cardozo Luna further strengthened the validity of the airing of
grievances of his clients during the short-lived Oakwood mutiny in
2003.
Francisco said that Soliman
affirmed their claim that the military offensive in Buliok Complex
in Linguasan Marsh in South Cotabato, which displaced some 200,000
civilians, pressed the junior officers to occupy the Oakwood
Premiere Hotel in July 2003.
“Based on the witnesses’
testimonies given this [Thursday] morning, what happened in Buliok
five years ago should be investigated and those responsible should
be held accountable and charged,” Francisco said.
In testifying before the Judge
Oscar Pimentel of Makati, Soliman revealed that the military
offensive was not even authorized by the Cabinet for it defied the
peace building efforts the government has been forging in the area.
“It apparently caused breach of
confidence in peace process building with the Muslim communities in
the area, for it left at least 45,000 families displaced and several
thousand others injured just for the manhunt of 14 to 20 members of
the kidnap-for-ransom group Pentagon gang,” she said.
Soliman added that she personally
called then Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes to ask for a halt of the
military offensive, saying the day the attack was launched coincided
with the biggest prayer feast of the Muslims.
But the offensive continued,
causing destruction of public infrastructures, warehouses, school
buildings, residential houses and mosques. Even President Gloria
Arroyo, in a meeting with Soliman and the entire Cabinet members,
did not reprimand Reyes nor direct him to stop the operations.
She said she was also surprised
when she learned that a certain Khadaffi Foundation, that offered
her two truckloads of rice and food supplies for the rehabilitation
of the displaced residents of Buliok, was the same organization that
bankrolled the establishment of palm oil plantation in Buliok.
As for Luna’s testimony,
Francisco said the intricacies of the military offensive in Buliok
proved that it was not merely directed at the manhunt of the
Pentagon gang members.
“There was a commercial motive
behind the military offensive. Besides, Luna confirmed that despite
the massive offensive, the government forces failed to kill or
capture any kidnapper of the Pentagon gang,” Francisco said.
Francisco recounted that Luna
also confirmed that while the Pentagon gang counted about 15 to 20
members only, there were four battalions under his command alone for
the operation. Likewise, 18 howitzers, armored units and several
fixed-wing aircraft were deployed.
In the offensive, Luna added the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front suffered hundreds killed, while the
government forces suffered 15 fatalities and 70 wounded.
But according to Luna, he cannot
find any relation of his testimony to the claims of the defense.
“At that time, we were just
doing our mission,” said Luna, who preceded Soliman at the witness
stand.
Assistant Chief State Prosecutor
Richard Anthony Fadullon also said the testimonies had no relevance
to the coup case.
“The testimonies focused
on the February 2003 incident and the defense did not ask their
witnesses any question regarding its [Buliok case] relation to the
Oakwood [mutiny],” Fadullon said.
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