The Makati Regional Trial Court junked yesterday coup d’etat charges filed by the Department of Justice against Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan.
Honasan, a former army colonel, was charged with masterminding the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny.
In an open court ruling, Makati Judge Oscar Pimentel also ordered the Bureau of Immigration to lift the hold-departure order against Honasan issued last year.
Pimentel also ordered the immediate withdrawal of the P300,000 cash bond posted by Honasan for his temporary liberty.
“The request of the prosecution to withdraw the case against Senator Gregorio Honasan is hereby given due course and the name of Senator Honasan is hereby dropped from the information and the case against him is considered withdrawn,” Pimentel said.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez issued last June 22 a resolution dropping the coup d’etat charges against Honasan for insufficiency of evidence.
Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon and State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera were not at the hearing yesterday.
Honasan, meanwhile, expressed elation over the Makati RTC ruling.
“We are of course very happy that our justice system is still working. I hope our people, especially the poor ones, would also benefit from a very responsive justice system,” Honasan said.
Honasan vowed to file legislative measures that would upgrade the country’s civilian and military justice system.
He brushed aside speculations that the dropping of the case against him was a result of a deal with Malacañang.
“If all of us, if we continue to think that my case is due to political accommodation, what would happen to other similar cases? There’s simply no truth to that,” he said.
“I would support Mrs. Arroyo when she is right but I would strongly oppose her when she is wrong,” Honasan said, adding that he would remain an independent in the legislature.
Honasan won a fresh six-year term as senator in the May midterm elections. – Jose Rodel Clapano, AFP