Wednesday, January 4, 2006

Did the Oakwood Mutiny Fail Because Gringo Stole Erap's Money?

he Oakwood Mutiny of July 27, 2003 was carried out by the creme de la creme of the Philippine Military's young officer corps organized into a group called the "Magdalo" composed mainly of highly accomplished active combat and intelligence officers in the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marines. Most of its leaders were graduates of the elite Philippine Military Academy. Yet it failed swiftly and spectacularly, some would even say ridiculously, within less than 24 hours. I never saw the logic in the concept of launching a coup d'etat by capturing a Makati executive-service hotel and holding a press conference. So I've always wondered at what really happened and why. Yesterday I received the following email containing a thought provoking claim I just have to put it out to get readers reactions.--
Dear Mr. Rizalist:

I hope you will write about Faeldon and the rest of the Oakwood "mutineers." The true story hasn't been told of what happened there. Yes it's true Erap funded the thing to make trouble for GMA, but most people don't know he gave GRINGO HONASAN 30 or 40 million pesos to help them at least do a good job exposing the corruption of the top brass in the military. Gringo was supposed to mobilize the civilian component and create a loud forum for Trillanes and the other idealistic young officers to expose the corrupt practices and rotten system in the AFP. But the dirty dirty dirty secret is that GRINGO pocketed the money and bought a yacht with it! That's why the Oakwood Mutiny was "crushed" in 24 hours!

Xxx.
I won't say one way or another whether I believe this ANONYMOUS email, but if anyone out there has any theories as to the plausibility or the impossibility of this claim, I'd like to hear it. I think it explains an awful lot of things. Especially about Gringo!...Has anyone actually been ON the yacht?!

OAKWOOD MUTINY CONTINUED? A number of recent news items now seem clearly to belong together in the Oakwood Mutiny File: First the latest in the story of Maj. Gen. Carlos F. Garcia: PCIJ: Ex-AFP Comptroller Guilty of Corruption who also faces charges of capital plunder involving P303 million, as bagman of the Political Mafia that runs the Philippine Military. The seamy details of this mother of all corruption stories in the military this year are presented by NEWSBREAK in 'Coverup in the Military.' WHAT were Trillanes et al apologizing for to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo again? Next, not all the Oakwood Mutineers apparently agree that apologies to GMA are in order. One CAPTAIN NICANOR FAELDON decided it was time to leave the detention camp of apologists Trillanes et al and has started a highly trafficked website raising the same basic issues of corruption in the military that provoked the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny. It has prompted this Palace response: GOV.PH:Palace links Faeldon escape to destabilization attempts. Perhaps they were fooled by Gringo Honasan, but people like Faeldon apparently are intellectually capable of holding to the principled stand they had taken against corruption and have now learned they must go straight to the people and not Erap and his minions for support in a just cause. Last but not least comes COL. EFREN DAQUIL PDI: Air Force Graft, Unrest Bared whose accusations of illegal cash disbursements to top brass in the Air Force has been the subject of a televised press conference and numerous media reports today after they made the PDI front page headlines.

CORRUPTION AND HONOR ARE IRRECONCILABLE: From the very beginning one is struck by the IDEALISM and PATRIOTISM that animated the Oakwood Mutineers. Even if they were fooled by Gringo Honasan, I think the lives of honor and duty and integrity that true soldiers must live in order to survive in their profession with their self-respect intact is completely incompatible with the corrupt good-ole-boy patronage system in the Military. To the extent that these young officers will remain true to their ideals, the corrupt system will have to give way. I am refreshed by the realization that some of these young men apparently have REAL PRINCIPLES and are discovering new ways to fulfill them.

PINKY WEBB's gentle but expert questioning elicited this response from Col. Efren Daquil during the ANC Noontime show, as to why he has taken the extraordinary action of speaking out against corruption in the Air Force--he said it was to encourage OTHER officers in the Military to come out and do the same, officers who like him are EYE WITNESSES to daily corrupt practices in the AFP.

6 comments:

Deany Bocobo said...

It's very possible that is what Gringo did with the REST of Erap's Oakwood money. Darn Swiss, they got a piece of the action too!

Unknown said...

Hi DJB,

Happy New Year! (Am still looking for a proper book on the French Revolution...)

Re Gringo's having pocketed millions, etc. - perhaps it would be good to ask him pointblank. He will most likely deny the existence of the funds but just the same, would be good to see his reaction. (Never did trust that desk renegade anyway!) Unfortunately, those who are in the know will never come out publicly out of fear.

And on your article, justice hurried, justice burried - am really happy that you continue talking about it.

Deany Bocobo said...

My oriiginal source is IMPECCABLE and AUTHORITATIVE. But am still waiting for someone who will tell me they've actually been on that yacht.

Jon Mariano said...

Mine is pure speculation.

The timing of the re-release of this information aims to put a wedge on the ongoing movement to oust Arroyo. Gringo is being marginalized.

Deany Bocobo said...

"Gringo is being marginalized"
--I hope so Jon!--and if he indeed fooled the young idealists in the Military I hope they pluck his feathers and poke him in the eye.

Flora Young said...

ridiculous! SIGH*****