DEFIANT FAELDON SAYS FIGHT GOES ON
MANILA, January 30, 2006 (MALAYA) A DEFIANT mutiny leader Capt. Nicanor Faeldon yesterday said his and his group’s fight for a credible government would continue despite his recapture by the Intelligence Service of the AFP Friday night in Malabon City.Through his elder brother Cesar, Faeldon said he is not the leader but merely the "inspiration" of the group Pilipino, which Faeldon unveiled shortly after escaping from the Isafp custody last Dec. 14.
"His message was: ‘No matter how many jail bars that he will be into, the fight will not stop because he is not the leader. He is just standing as the inspiration of the cause,’" said Cesar who with sister Joyce visited the Marine officer inside the Isafp compound.
Another brother, Jake, was not allowed by the Isafp to see Faeldon because he lacked identification cards.
Faeldon, one of the six core leaders of the Magdalo group that staged the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003, has said he escaped to join the fight for a credible government. Through www.pilipino.org.ph, the website he launched days after his escape, Faeldon had been calling for Arroyo’s ouster and claimed to have support for his cause.
Four other Magdalo officers – Capt. Nathaniel Rabonza and 1Lts. Laurence San Juan, Sony Sarmiento and Patricio Bumidang – escaped from detention at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio on Jan. 17. They are also calling for Arroyo’s ouster.
Faeldon and the Rabonza group are among the 30 officers who led some 300 officers and men in the takeover of the Oakwood apartments in Makati in 2003. They are facing charges of mutiny before a Makati court. At least 200 enlisted personnel have been freed.
The five other core leaders - Lt. (s.g.) Antonio Trillanes IV, Lt. (s.g.) James Layug and Captains Gary Alejano, Milo Maestrecampo, Gerardo Gambala – remain in detention.
"Hopefully his supporters will continue the fight despite his detention. He said this (arrest) is just a temporary setback. I don’t know what he means by that," Jake said.
Faeldon was arrested along with his reported girlfriend, military lawyer Capt. Candelaria Rivas, while driving a red Toyota car in Tugatog, Malabon City.
The AFP said Saturday Faeldon was arrested after he picked up Rivas from a grocery store somewhere in Quezon City. It said the arrest was made possible with the help of military and civilians. No details were given.
Reports said intelligence agents had been tailing Rivas.
Military authorities said they are preparing charges against Rivas, who is among the prosecutors handling the case of Faeldon and other Magdalo officers before a general court martial in connection with the mutiny.
Possible cases against Rivas are violations of the Article of War 96 and 97 or conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman, and conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline.
Rivas might also be held liable for violation of the code of ethical standards and the code of ethics of the legal profession and could also be charged as an accessory to the crime of coup d’état, said Col. Tristan Kison, AFP information chief.
Cesar said they were happy they were allowed to see their brother.
"He is okay although until now he has yet to change clothes. What he wore when he was arrested is the same clothes he is wearing now," he said.
"When we asked him how is, he said he’s okay…We talked to him and at least we are happy right now because we saw the real situation," he said, adding Faeldon has not been allowed to take a bath.
Cesar said he and Joyce were not allowed to see Faeldon’s detention cell. He said they were shown to a room where Faeldon was later brought in. He said they and Faeldon were on the opposite sides of a long table during their talk.
He said at least two military guards in civilian clothes stayed in the room during their conversation. Outside the room were armed soldiers.
Cesar said Faeldon was blindfolded when he was escorted by Isafp personnel to the room. He said Faeldon offered the handkerchief used in blindfolding him when Joyce broke into tears upon seeing him.
In a statement contained in a compact disc, Faeldon’s group said the detention of the junior officer will not stop them organization from pursuing their cause.
The CDs were distributed by Pilipino member Bujon Apostol, a civilian, who accompanied the Faeldon family to the Isafp compound. He left Camp Aguinaldo before Cesar and Joyce saw and talked to Faeldon.
Apostol said the Pilipino group has about 3,000 members from the military and civilian sectors. He said based on messages of people who have visited Faeldon’s website, at least 800,000 soldiers and civilians are supporting their cause.
The statement said Pilipino would not stop its fight because the military has not stopped peddling lies about the visits of Faeldon on military and police camps despite a nationwide manhunt operation.
Faeldon has posted photos and videos of his visits to the Western Command based in Puerto Princesa City, Southern Command in Zamboanga City and the PNP national headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
"We will not stop the fight for truth and an upright government. This is our fight and not by Capt. Faeldon alone. He is not the one who started this fight, (and) it is not he who should finish it," it said.
"He is currently detained and cannot speak for the meantime, unless through his lawyer. It’s now time for us to speak, time for us to take a stand," it said.
The statement also took a dig at Kison for saying Faeldon was not able to enter the headquarters of the Central Command based in Cebu City. Kison said Faeldon merely stayed at the Mariott Hotel also in the city.
The disc contained pictures and video footage showing Faeldon right in front of the Central Command building, holding a newspaper, but it was not clear when the pictures and videos were actually taken.
"Here are the pictures that would prove that he did not only enter the Central Command. He alighted right in front of the headquarters, after which the pictures were taken. This is not where the fight ends, and this is not the last picture we will show," the statement said.
"We have many raw footage which we can show, how he made the rounds of camps. He did not go there in a hurry and took the pictures hurriedly and immediately left. We will show you the other pictures taken while inside these camps," it added.
It said they are making public the pictures to prove there are many soldiers and policemen in the camps who are supporting their cause despite pronouncements by top officials that the uniformed services are behind President Arroyo.
The PNP said that it was ready to give the reward money for the recapture of Faeldon.
PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Leopldo N. Batoil said coordination will be made with their counterparts in the AFP to determine who will receive the P100,000 bounty.
The PNP has allotted a total of P500,000 for the re-arrest of the escaped Magdalo soldiers. – Victor Reyes and Raymond Africa
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2006
by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved