Honasan resurfaces at DOJ

After almost a month in hiding, Sen. Gregorio Honasan showed up yesterday at the Department of Justice (DOJ) in response to calls for him to come out and face rebellion charges for allegedly leading a failed coup last month.

"I am here in good faith to express my willingness to submit myself to the system and be allowed to answer charges that have been leveled against me," Honasan told government prosecutors reviewing the criminal complaint filed against him.

The government claims the former Army colonel, who led coup attempts against former President Corazon Aquino in the late 1980s, led a failed power grab July 27 when more than 300 renegade soldiers occupied a ritzy apartment and shopping complex in Manila’s financial district and rigged the area with bombs.

At a clandestine news conference over the weekend, Honasan said he feared the government would take action against him as soon as he came out of hiding and alleged that government investigators had fabricated evidence to bolster a non-bailable charge that he had conspired in the mutiny.

Honasan’s arrival at around 2:30 p.m. stunned media people as well as employees and personnel of the DOJ.

The senator was accompanied by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III.

Pimentel told prosecutors they wanted to ensure that Honasan is properly treated within the bounds of the law.

In his 15-minute appearance before the DOJ panel of prosecutors, Honasan appealed for "sobriety" and an end to "trial by publicity."

"My presence also reflects my continued faith in the justice system and the rule of law," he said. "I am confident that this will be the last bastion of whatever faith I have in the system, in the rule of law, in due process and in our democracy."

Honasan and his lawyers questioned the DOJ’s jurisdiction over the case. His lawyer, Daniel Gutierrez, said that as a public official, it is the Office of the Ombudsman that has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute Honasan.

Gutierrez said even acting Ombudsman Margarito Gervacio Jr. has reportedly questioned the DOJ and the National Bureau of Investigation’s handling of the case.

Senior State Prosecutor Leo Dacera III, head of the DOJ panel, said the motion to clarify jurisdiction will be resolved next week after Philippine National Police Director Eduardo Matillano, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), files his response to Honasan’s motion.

Honasan also asked for more time to prepare the necessary evidence and testimonies that will be material to his defense.

He urged authorities to allow him access to military officers who can testify in his favor.

Malacañang welcomed Honasan’s appearance and repeated the reassurances of President Arroyo that the senator would not be arrested.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye, however, refused to comment on Honasan’s request to transfer the case to the Ombudsman.

"Let’s find out if that will happen. I’m sure the DOJ will have a way of dealing with this situation," Bunye said.

Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. said that Honasan should have raised the question right from the very start.

"This legal maneuver betrays his real intentions which is to delay the judicial process of ascertaining the truth behind his involvement in the July 27 mutiny," Lina said in a statement.

After the hearing, Honasan said he felt relieved to be out of hiding and proceeded to the Senate to "report for work within the limits of security."

Asked by reporters if he would now be accessible, he said: "Yes, I will continue to work."

He stressed that he will no longer be in hiding even as new witnesses are reportedly set to be presented by the government against him.

"We will find out if it will be a level playing field, if we will be accorded due process and justice," he added.

But his lawyer said the senator might also be busy and unavailable because one of his children is very ill with dengue and he wants to be with his child and wife, Jane.

In a related development, a fraternity brother of Honasan who was with him at the Oakwood Premier last July 27 testified before the Feliciano Commission yesterday that he does not believe that the senator was not involved in the mutiny.

Philippine Information Agency Director General Renato Velasco said Honasan invited him to go to Oakwood on July 27. When they arrived at the Glorietta Center, Senators Rodolfo Biazon and Vicente Sotto were already there already for several hours but could not penetrate the military blockade. But with Honasan’s presence, it took only three to five minutes for Navy Lt. (sg) Antonio Trillanes IV to emerge and escort them into the building.

"The soldiers were practically mesmerized when he was talking," Velasco said.

Honasan reportedly engaged the soldiers in a discussion about his National Recovery Program even as the deadline for them to surrender had already lapsed.

He added that Honasan was agitating the rebel soldiers with his speech and not trying to get them to surrender. — Area Calica, Marichu Villanueva, Jess Diaz, Marvin Sy, AP