The nation was shocked upon learning that Gen. Carlos Garcia was off the hook of the Plunder charges filed against him by the Ombudsman through a questionable Plea Bargaining Agreement where he pleaded to a lesser offense of Direct Bribery. His temporary liberty pending the approval of the agreement by the Sandiganbayan came earlier than the news about the agreement. Ombudsman is again in hot waters. Merceditas’ plea that the evidence of the State is weak to prove that Gen. Garcia committed plunder did not ring well with the people, as represented by the Senators, Congressman, the Palace and the Department of Justice.
Inquiry in aid of legislation was started by the Senate, followed by the Lower House. The nation was shocked again (as if things like these did not happen in the past). Heidi Mendoza and Col. Robusa are instant celebrities. Senator Jinggoy Estrada found an ally in Robusa and his questionings on Gen. Angelo Reyes (the then AFP Chief of Staff who turned his back on President Estrada and supported Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the climax of People Power 2) is being perceived as a vengeance, in aid of political support for the next election and in search of truth to cleanse the AFP of corruption and proceed with the Daang Matuwid.
Former COA Auditor Mendoza gained support for her courageous testimonies and revelations, going against all odds (the Generals, her superiors in the Commission on Audit, the suppliers). Senator Trillanes surmised that there is a very powerful person behind Gen. Garcia’s plea bargain agreement. Gen. Reyes dared him to name names. Trillanes did by naming Gen. Reyes as the powerful person.
Col. Robusa’s serious accusations and other evidence adduced in the investigations about pasalubong, pabaon, conversion of funds, ghost deliveries, trendsetting wives of generals, houses abroad clearly put the superiors in the AFP, all chiefs of staff and comptrollers, in a bad light. As expected: they all denied the accusations, calling Robusa a liar, one whose mind was affected when he suffered a stroke that confined him to a wheelchair.
Gen. Reyes’ apparent suicide shocked the nation on a not so cold Monday morning. News about his death was announced by Secretary Ona of the Health Department. He was dead on arrival, having killed himself in front of the grave of his mother, with epithet: “Life must go on…”. The NCR Police Director investigating the death concluded beyond doubt that the death was “self-inflicted” (as police termed it, as if the term “suicide” connotes a negative impression). Police concluded this on the basis of the testimonies of the witnesses without even recovering and examining the bullet shell, the firearm used and other object evidence. An autopsy was also not conducted to determine the trajectory of the bullet that killed Gen. Reyes or the presence of gunpowder in his hand. The police director said in a radio interview that the family specifically requested privacy and waived the conduct of an autopsy. Even the mobile phone used by Gen. Reyes (witnesses told that he was talking over the phone prior to his death and looked angry) was not surrendered to the police. It would have been important to know the persons whom Gen. Reyes talked with prior to his death. In a related event, Gen. Robles, a friend of Gen. Reyes said that Reyes informed him that GMA called him on that day. GMA, thru her spokesperson, denied it. Robles stood on his statement.
Going back to the request of Gen. Reyes’ family for privacy, the same is understandable and has to be respected. However, the statement of the police that the death of Gen. Reyes was a result of self-inflicted injury and that it would no longer pursue any investigation due to the waiver of the family is disturbing. Gen. Reyes is a public figure and is being accused of corruption at the time of his death. The people have the right to know with certainty if he indeed committed suicide and why he committed it in the middle of an investigation. The testimonies of the witnesses alone carry persuasive conclusions on suicide. However, couple this with object evidence such as autopsy result, paraffin test, examination of the firearm used and the bullet shell would finally seal any doubt as to the cause of death. That telephone used by Gen. Reyes prior to his death is also a very important evidence to prove the real motive about his suicide. Who were the persons he talked with? What messages did he receive that instigated the suicide? Did GMA indeed call him?
In cases of death, whether self-inflicted or not, it is the responsibility of the police to investigate all angles. The family can of course request for privacy. That is their right. However, I doubt if the obligation of the police to conduct autopsy and paraffin test, to recover the firearm used and the mobile telephone that would further shed light to the incident, can be waived by the family.
I am expecting that the inquiries, accusations and evidence on the corruption of a very powerful institution would not be buried in oblivion. Let this not be another funeral.
Inquiry in aid of legislation was started by the Senate, followed by the Lower House. The nation was shocked again (as if things like these did not happen in the past). Heidi Mendoza and Col. Robusa are instant celebrities. Senator Jinggoy Estrada found an ally in Robusa and his questionings on Gen. Angelo Reyes (the then AFP Chief of Staff who turned his back on President Estrada and supported Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the climax of People Power 2) is being perceived as a vengeance, in aid of political support for the next election and in search of truth to cleanse the AFP of corruption and proceed with the Daang Matuwid.
Former COA Auditor Mendoza gained support for her courageous testimonies and revelations, going against all odds (the Generals, her superiors in the Commission on Audit, the suppliers). Senator Trillanes surmised that there is a very powerful person behind Gen. Garcia’s plea bargain agreement. Gen. Reyes dared him to name names. Trillanes did by naming Gen. Reyes as the powerful person.
Col. Robusa’s serious accusations and other evidence adduced in the investigations about pasalubong, pabaon, conversion of funds, ghost deliveries, trendsetting wives of generals, houses abroad clearly put the superiors in the AFP, all chiefs of staff and comptrollers, in a bad light. As expected: they all denied the accusations, calling Robusa a liar, one whose mind was affected when he suffered a stroke that confined him to a wheelchair.
Gen. Reyes’ apparent suicide shocked the nation on a not so cold Monday morning. News about his death was announced by Secretary Ona of the Health Department. He was dead on arrival, having killed himself in front of the grave of his mother, with epithet: “Life must go on…”. The NCR Police Director investigating the death concluded beyond doubt that the death was “self-inflicted” (as police termed it, as if the term “suicide” connotes a negative impression). Police concluded this on the basis of the testimonies of the witnesses without even recovering and examining the bullet shell, the firearm used and other object evidence. An autopsy was also not conducted to determine the trajectory of the bullet that killed Gen. Reyes or the presence of gunpowder in his hand. The police director said in a radio interview that the family specifically requested privacy and waived the conduct of an autopsy. Even the mobile phone used by Gen. Reyes (witnesses told that he was talking over the phone prior to his death and looked angry) was not surrendered to the police. It would have been important to know the persons whom Gen. Reyes talked with prior to his death. In a related event, Gen. Robles, a friend of Gen. Reyes said that Reyes informed him that GMA called him on that day. GMA, thru her spokesperson, denied it. Robles stood on his statement.
Going back to the request of Gen. Reyes’ family for privacy, the same is understandable and has to be respected. However, the statement of the police that the death of Gen. Reyes was a result of self-inflicted injury and that it would no longer pursue any investigation due to the waiver of the family is disturbing. Gen. Reyes is a public figure and is being accused of corruption at the time of his death. The people have the right to know with certainty if he indeed committed suicide and why he committed it in the middle of an investigation. The testimonies of the witnesses alone carry persuasive conclusions on suicide. However, couple this with object evidence such as autopsy result, paraffin test, examination of the firearm used and the bullet shell would finally seal any doubt as to the cause of death. That telephone used by Gen. Reyes prior to his death is also a very important evidence to prove the real motive about his suicide. Who were the persons he talked with? What messages did he receive that instigated the suicide? Did GMA indeed call him?
In cases of death, whether self-inflicted or not, it is the responsibility of the police to investigate all angles. The family can of course request for privacy. That is their right. However, I doubt if the obligation of the police to conduct autopsy and paraffin test, to recover the firearm used and the mobile telephone that would further shed light to the incident, can be waived by the family.
I am expecting that the inquiries, accusations and evidence on the corruption of a very powerful institution would not be buried in oblivion. Let this not be another funeral.
