Dureza tells court ‘Oplan Greenbase’ is fake

MANILA, Philippines - Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Jesus Dureza on Thursday formally denied before the court the existence of “Oplan Greenbase,” the alleged secret presidential order for the military to clear the Buliok Complex in southern Philippines of Moro rebels. Dureza made the testimony during the continuation of the hearing for coup d’etat charges against the soldiers involved in the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny at the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148. In his testimony, the former press secretary said he was able to obtain a copy of the supposed Malacañang memorandum on “Oplan Greenbase” and even brought it before the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security. "I can't recall how it got to me, but I raised it at the Cabinet Oversight Committee hearing. It was not the content that made me raise it, but it was unusual for a supposed secret order to be circulating,” Dureza told the court upon questioning by lawyer Ernesto Francisco, counsel for seven of the accused soldiers. Dureza said he later dismissed the memo as fake. “I told them (Cabinet Oversight Committee) that it was not an official order from the Palace," he said. Francisco said under “Oplan Greenbase,” President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the military to attack Buliok Complex, the headquarters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) situated at the sprawling Liguasan Marsh in the provinces of Maguindanao and Cotabato. Francisco alleged that the goal of the alleged secret order was to drive the rebels away from the area so that it can be opened for commercial development purposes, specifically the planting of palm trees for the extraction of palm oil. In his testimony, Dureza admitted that the government has an ongoing program to develop certain areas in Mindanao for the planting of palm trees for palm oil production. He however denied that the Liguasan Marsh is part of it, saying its soil is unfit for crop cultivation. Dureza, who had served as former head of the government panel negotiating with the MILF, also said the attack on Buliok Complex came after the collapse of a last-ditch attempt by the government to forge a ceasefire with the rebels. Interviewed after the hearing, Francisco said that despite the denial of Dureza on the supposed existence of "Oplan Greenbase," his testimony was still of value to the defense. "He was able to confirm that Mindanao is a site for development and that the search for land for palm oil plantation is ongoing," he said. Francisco said that it is the contention of the defense that the alleged mutineers, collectively called the Magdalo soldiers, occupied the Oakwood serviced apartments in Makati City to air their grievances, including "Oplan Greenbase." - GMANews.TV