AFP court moves trial of officers in Feb 2006 coup to Camp Aguinaldo

A military court has moved the venue of the trial of the 28 officers linked to the February 2006 alleged power grab attempt from Camp Capinpin in Tanay to Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. The court’s spokesman, Maj. Emilio Felicen, said the tribunal decided to hold the proceedings inside the military’s general headquarters on the earlier request of defense lawyers complained of the long travel they have to take to make it to the hearings in Camp Capinpin. Felicen said the court scheduled the arraignment of eight of the 28 accused on Tuesday. “The change of venue is absolutely within the prerogative of the court. It is allowed and there is nothing illegal... The change of venue was actually a result of several motions made by the defense, private defense counsels for the change of venue," Felicen said. “They are saying that they are having difficulty, Camp Capinpin is too far and its takes time to travel so the court considered those reasons," Felicen added. The court has been trying the accused since December 2006 for various offenses, including mutiny, inside Camp Capinpin. The accused are led by former Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Danilo Lim, former Scout Ranger chief Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim. All of the accused – except Lim and Capt. Dante Langkit – are detained at the Armed Forces Custodial Center inside Camp Capinpin. Lim is detained in Camp Crame in connection with the November 29 standoff in Makati City while Langkit is being held by the Army’s Custodial Management Unit in Fort Bonifacio. In the interview, Felicen also said eight of the 28 accused would be brought to Camp Aguinaldo for their arraignment on Tuesday. He said the other accused would be arraigned on separate dates to be later announced by the court. The court tried to arraign the accused during the last hearing in Camp Capinpin but was met by opposition from the defense, saying the accused should be arraigned in one group because the offenses for which they are being accused of are conspiracy in nature. Felicen said the right of the accused would not be prejudiced if they are arraigned in batches. “I believe that (arraignment by batches) is within the authority of the court in so far the manner of arraignment is concerned," said Felicen. “The reading of the charges and the specifications is to be conducted individually to the accused and therefore those who are not present during the conduct of the arraignment will not be prejudiced. There will be no arraignment in so far as those accused not present in court are concerned," he added. He refused to identify the eight officers who going to be brought to Camp Aguinaldo for the arraignment. On whether the transfer of the detention of the accused would also be transferred to Camp Aguinaldo with the transfer of the hearing venue, Felicen said this is up to the court, which is being presided by Maj. Gen. Jogy Leo Fojas. Also, Felicen justified the handcuffing the accused when they are brought to the courtroom. The handcuffing issue has caused the delay in the last proceedings as majority of the accused refused to go to the courtroom in handcuffs. “Some of the private counsels stated that it was a violation of the human rights of the accused but we do not agree because the handcuffing of the accused is legal and is allowed by the Supreme Court," the official also said. “In fact, in a memorandum order issued by the Supreme Court, it says that a detention prisoner, while inside the premises of the court should be in handcuff, unless otherwise directed by the presiding judge....So we do not agree that is was a violation of the human rights of the accused," added Felicen. The court earlier said that accused should be in handcuff and should be arraigned in batches because of their unruly behavior. It was referring to the accused officers’ protesting of the ruling of the court in waiving the right of accused 1Lt. Homer Estolas. - GMANews.TV