Senator Biazon testify in Oakwood mutiny says it is not coup d’ etat

Miami
April 24, 2008
Story 3: Senator Biazon testify in Oakwood mutiny says it is not coup d’ etat

Senator Rodolfo Biazon testified at the Makati RTC Branch 148 for the Oakwood mutiny case of Magdalo soldiers last July 2003 and said what happened is not a coup d’ etat.

Atty. Ernesto Francisco said in the testimony of Biazon, he said that the soldiers in Oakwood only express their grievances, “He (Biazon) said Oakwood uprising did not demand for the resignation of the President but only those of then Armed Forces chief Angelo Reyes and Generals Hermogenes Ebdane and Victor Corpuz. Because these soldiers believed that there is corruption happening at the military and the officers are not addressing it.”

During the negotiation with the Magdalo soldiers during the Oakwood stand-off, Biazon was with Senator Gregorio Honasan, former Senator Vicente Sotto, former Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Mike Defensor, and Senior Deputy Chief of Staff Renato Velasco.

The senator also said that he did not saw any explosives or snipers holding a firearm during the Oakwood.

“The soldiers has no intention to take over the government, they just want somebody else to hear their sentiments. Actually, the testimony of Senator Biazon is consistent with the testimony of former Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Narcisio Abaya with regards to this,” Atty. Francisco said.

Francisco said the Magdalo soldiers have no targets or whatsoever that is why their act cannot be considered as coup d’ etat.

However, for the prosecution, “it was not damaging to prosecution's allegation that the Oakwood incident was indeed a coup d'etat. Let us remember that the coup d'etat incidents he was recounting in court happened before the coup d'etat law was enacted in October 1990," Asst. Chief State Prosecutor Richard Fadullon said.

Biazon said to the court that the coup d’ etat happened in August 1987 and December 1989is far from what happened in Oakwood. “Wherein during those times, the two coup d'etat incidents were clearly directed to attack the AFP General Headquarters at Camp Crame and the Malacañang Palace to destabilize the administration of former President Corazon Aquino. They even fired their guns but in Oakwood that did not happened,” Francisco said.