historicans

Amizth

The military officer who barred congressmen and human rights officials visiting an ailing female junior officer detained for mutiny charges at the Philippine Marines headquarters in Taguig City was merely implementing the regulations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . This was the response of Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo to criticisms after members of the House committee on human rights and Commission on Human Rights officials were prevented from seeing detained Lt. Belinda Ferrer. Ferrer, who is one of 28 officers accused of mutiny for failed coup of February 2006, is afflicted with breast cancer, according to Muntinlupa Rep. Rozzano Rufino Ruffy Biazon. Biazon however when informed of the Navys response said that the military should have at least informed them of the guidelines. It might just be the discretion of the officer there who was on duty at that time. At least he could have showed to us those guidelines issued by the higher authorities so that we could be able to determine which higher authority we would go to whether the commandant of Philippine Marines or all the way up to the AFP Chief of Staff or even the Secretary of Defense, Biazon added. Armed with mission order from the CHR, Biazon is one of the congressmen who were not allowed to see Ferrer. With him were committee chairman Lorenzo Erin Tañada III, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and Akbayan Rep. Ana Theresia Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel. They were barred from entering by the military, citing the AFPs guidelines. What troubles us was that they could not produce a written guideline or order because the absence of such written guideline or order one can easily doubt about any policy is in place, Biazon told ANC. Biazon maintained that he and the others went to Taguig City to check on Ferrers condition as part of their oversight function. Arevalo, however, denied that the decision of the military officer on duty during the said incident was discretionary. Arevalo said the regulations clearly stated that only immediate family members of the detained military officer, family doctor, priest and his lawyer are allowed entry to the detention cell even without prior coordination with proper authorities. Nothing in the enumeration says anything about members of the Commission on Human Rights or members of Congress so we are just implementing regulations. We understand where they are coming from… however we in the Marine Corps and Armed Forces are just implementors of regulations, he said in the same interview. He said that, as stated in the guidelines, Biazon and company should have secured permission first from the military leadership and Ferrer before proceeding to Taguig City to check on Ferrers health condition. He also thanked the congressmen for their concern for Ferrers welfare as he assured them that the military is extending her medical assistance. Arevalo, however, could not yet confirm whether Ferrer is indeed suffering from breast cancer when asked about the detained junior officers condition.