/ stevenwarran's Library/ Notes/ August 17, 2002, The Philippine Star, AFP to Initiate Court Martial vs 3 Army Officers in Abu Escape, by Paolo Romero,
August 17, 2002, The Philippine Star, AFP to Initiate Court Martial vs 3 Army Officers in Abu Escape, by Paolo Romero,
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August 17, 2002, The Philippine Star, AFP to Initiate Court Martial vs 3 Army Officers in Abu Escape, by Paolo Romero,
Manila, August 17, 2002 (STAR) - The military hierarchy said yesterday it will immediately initiate court martial proceedings against three senior officers being blamed for the escape of Abu Sayyaf terrorists who were already cornered by government forces in Lamitan town, Basilan on June 2 last year.
Meanwhile, one of the three officers, Col. Juvenal Narcise, insisted that they did their best to capture the Abu Sayyaf bandits.
Armed forces chief Gen. Roy Cimatu said the trial will start after they have received the report and recommendations of the Senate committees on national defense and human rights that looked into the incident.
He vowed that the proceedings would be transparent and impartial to ensure that justice is served.
"We assure you that our judicial process is fair," Cimatu told The STAR before leaving for Mt. Diwalwal in Compostela Valley in a bid to resolve an ongoing mining dispute in the area. "We will render sound judgment. All members of our judicial system are honorable men and our judicial process will be evenhanded."
Those investigated by the Senate for the Lamitan incident were Maj. Gen. Romeo Dominguez, Maj. Eliseo Campued and Narcise.
They were charged with "misbehavior before the enemy and endangering the command because of recklessness and negligence, and conduct unbecoming officers and gentlemen."
The Senate committees said the three officers might have violated pertinent provisions of the Articles of War in connection with the escape of the Abu Sayyaf gunmen, bringing with them most of the 20 hostages they seized six days earlier from the posh resort of Dos Palmas in Palawan, among them three Americans.
The military’s Judge Advocate General, Col. Manuel Ibañez, said the military still has the option to ignore the Senate report, saying it is merely recommendatory.
Ibañez also said court martial proceedings "are very expeditious."
Dominguez is currently commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, while Narcise is head of the 702nd Infantry Brigade based in Samar.
Campued is executive officer of the 18th Infantry Battalion, the same post he was holding during the Lamitan encounter.
Meanwhile, Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said he would seek the inclusion of more military officers in the court martial proceedings, but refused to identify them.
Osmeña admitted, however, that it would not be easy to persuade the military to conduct the court martial, saying the officers involved have been prematurely cleared by their superiors.
Dominguez, then a one-star general and head of Task Force Comet designated to go after the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers in Basilan, was even promoted, the senator said.
Dominguez was allegedly spotted carrying a black attaché case filled with money after the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers mysteriously escaped from a military cordon of the Dr. Jose Torres Hospital in Lamitan where they sought refuge.
The bicameral Commission on Appointments headed by Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo confirmed the promotion of Dominguez to major general, saying the officer had satisfactorily explained his involvement in the Lamitan incident.
Meanwhile, Narcise vehemently denied allegations of collusion to allow the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers headed by Aldam Tilao, alias Abu Sabaya, and Khadafi Janjalani to escape with their hostages in tow.
"We did our best. There was no collusion," he said. "There were many intervening factors then, but my conscience is clear," he said in a telephone interview with The STAR. He expressed optimism that he would eventually be exonerated and vindicated.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) hailed the Senate committee report, saying it offered relief to the people of Lamitan.
"The testimonies of the witnesses, encouraged by Fr. Cirilo Nacorda, were not in vain. The findings are recommendatory in nature to the proper courts involving the military (officers) concerned," the CBCP said in a statement.
CBCP secretary general and spokesman Msgr. Hernando Coronel stressed that pursuit of the Abu Sayyaf "should be without compromise."
In a radio interview, Nacorda, parish priest of Lamitan, said he was not surprised that the Senate found proof of collusion between the Abu Sayyaf and the military officers on the ground.
Nacorda also urged the Senate to expand their inquiry to include more military officers, as well as Basilan Gov. Wahab Akbar. He insisted that there was ransom payment made in Lamitan, amounting to P25 million to P27 million.– With Efren Danao, Ding Cervantes, Sandy Araneta, Mayen Jaymalin
Meanwhile, one of the three officers, Col. Juvenal Narcise, insisted that they did their best to capture the Abu Sayyaf bandits.
Armed forces chief Gen. Roy Cimatu said the trial will start after they have received the report and recommendations of the Senate committees on national defense and human rights that looked into the incident.
He vowed that the proceedings would be transparent and impartial to ensure that justice is served.
"We assure you that our judicial process is fair," Cimatu told The STAR before leaving for Mt. Diwalwal in Compostela Valley in a bid to resolve an ongoing mining dispute in the area. "We will render sound judgment. All members of our judicial system are honorable men and our judicial process will be evenhanded."
Those investigated by the Senate for the Lamitan incident were Maj. Gen. Romeo Dominguez, Maj. Eliseo Campued and Narcise.
They were charged with "misbehavior before the enemy and endangering the command because of recklessness and negligence, and conduct unbecoming officers and gentlemen."
The Senate committees said the three officers might have violated pertinent provisions of the Articles of War in connection with the escape of the Abu Sayyaf gunmen, bringing with them most of the 20 hostages they seized six days earlier from the posh resort of Dos Palmas in Palawan, among them three Americans.
The military’s Judge Advocate General, Col. Manuel Ibañez, said the military still has the option to ignore the Senate report, saying it is merely recommendatory.
Ibañez also said court martial proceedings "are very expeditious."
Dominguez is currently commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, while Narcise is head of the 702nd Infantry Brigade based in Samar.
Campued is executive officer of the 18th Infantry Battalion, the same post he was holding during the Lamitan encounter.
Meanwhile, Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said he would seek the inclusion of more military officers in the court martial proceedings, but refused to identify them.
Osmeña admitted, however, that it would not be easy to persuade the military to conduct the court martial, saying the officers involved have been prematurely cleared by their superiors.
Dominguez, then a one-star general and head of Task Force Comet designated to go after the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers in Basilan, was even promoted, the senator said.
Dominguez was allegedly spotted carrying a black attaché case filled with money after the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers mysteriously escaped from a military cordon of the Dr. Jose Torres Hospital in Lamitan where they sought refuge.
The bicameral Commission on Appointments headed by Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo confirmed the promotion of Dominguez to major general, saying the officer had satisfactorily explained his involvement in the Lamitan incident.
Meanwhile, Narcise vehemently denied allegations of collusion to allow the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers headed by Aldam Tilao, alias Abu Sabaya, and Khadafi Janjalani to escape with their hostages in tow.
"We did our best. There was no collusion," he said. "There were many intervening factors then, but my conscience is clear," he said in a telephone interview with The STAR. He expressed optimism that he would eventually be exonerated and vindicated.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) hailed the Senate committee report, saying it offered relief to the people of Lamitan.
"The testimonies of the witnesses, encouraged by Fr. Cirilo Nacorda, were not in vain. The findings are recommendatory in nature to the proper courts involving the military (officers) concerned," the CBCP said in a statement.
CBCP secretary general and spokesman Msgr. Hernando Coronel stressed that pursuit of the Abu Sayyaf "should be without compromise."
In a radio interview, Nacorda, parish priest of Lamitan, said he was not surprised that the Senate found proof of collusion between the Abu Sayyaf and the military officers on the ground.
Nacorda also urged the Senate to expand their inquiry to include more military officers, as well as Basilan Gov. Wahab Akbar. He insisted that there was ransom payment made in Lamitan, amounting to P25 million to P27 million.– With Efren Danao, Ding Cervantes, Sandy Araneta, Mayen Jaymalin
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