Gringo ready to bare all to prove innocence

Going all the way to show the naked truth.

Embattled Sen. Gregorio Honasan said he is willing to show any part of his body to disprove accusations he made a blood compact with the "Magdalo" group of officers who staged the July 27 mutiny.

"I will show any part of my body in the proper forum (the courts). My body is designed with various gunshot wounds. I don’t think that they can even see any scars relating to their allegations that I took part in a blood compact with these junior military offers," he said.

Honasan made the statement in reaction to the challenge made by Justice Undersecretary Jose Calida to show his armpit to dispel allegations he made the blood compact with the mutineers last June 12 when the coup plot was allegedly hatched.

Honasan, who had made himself "inaccessible" for fear of being arrested over the coup plot, however said he will not be literally caught with his pants down. He said he will not give Calida "the benefit of a circus."

"I will not fall to their trap. I will not dignify that challenge (made by Calida). I will not do this in media (but) in the proper forum. I will not give them the benefit of a circus," he said.

Honasan earlier expressed his willingness to bare it all in a TV interview last Thursday.

He said none of the scars in his body come from any "bladed weapon or instrument."

"Handang-handa ako ipakita ang kahit anung parte ng aking katawan (I am prepared to show any part of my body to prove there is no blood compact scar)," he declared.

Honasan later told radio dzRH yesterday he is not recruiting soldiers for another coup attempt while in hiding.

While going underground, the opposition lawmaker claimed he is gathering support among the people for his National Recovery Program (NRP).

"Wala pong dapat ikabahala ang ating mga kababayan. Hindi po ako nagre-recruit para sa coup, kundi para sa aking NRP," Honasan said.

Honasan stressed the NRP is a platform of government that promises to reform Philippine society and bring about a better life for Filipinos.

While making an assurance that he is not working on a new coup, Honasan however warned the administration that if it pushes young military officers involved in the July 27 failed mutiny against the wall, they might be forced to resort to drastic measures but did not specify.

"Do not drive them against the wall. We should instead focus on their grievances and help them out to address the problems. What occurred during the Feliciano Commission investigation last Thursday was exactly the opposite," he said in Filipino.

Honasan noted that the investigation was focusing on destroying the credibility of each of the mutineers through character assassination instead of addressing their grievances.

When pressed on what he would do if his back is pushed against the wall, Honasan said he would bring his case to the people.

"Dadalhin ko ang aking kaso sa ating mga kababayan sa pamamagitan ng aking kandidatura sa darating na halalan. Sila ang maghuhusga sa akin (I will bring this issue before the electorate next year. They will decide my fate)," he said.

Honasan, a former Army colonel who launched several coup attempts during the 1980s against President Corazon Aquino, had declared his intention to run for president next year.

In the same interview, Honasan also justified his decision to be "inaccessible" despite the lifting by President Arroyo of the state of rebellion.

He said his fears that he might be subjected to a warrantless arrest are valid since government agents are now looking for him even if there is yet no warrant issued by a court for his arrest.

Asked on his earlier promise to surface once the state of rebellion is lifted, Honasan said it was not the only circumstance under which he planned to show up again.

"Gusto ko ring maging patas ang laban. Sa ngayon, hindi ito patas. Wala pa ngang arrest warrant at hatol sa akin, hina-hunting na ako. ("I want a level playing field. Until now, it is not even level. While there is no warrant issued for my arrest, the government is hunting me down), " he said.

Nonetheless, Honasan said he would try to beat the Aug. 18 deadline set by prosecutors for him to file his answer to the coup d’etat charges filed against him before the Department of Justice.

"We will produce our own evidence and witnesses. Marami kaming witness," he said.

While the opposition senator repeatedly denied his involvement in the July 27 failed coup, he said government can only base its accusations on circumstantial and fabricated evidence.

Among the weak evidence Honasan pointed out was the photograph purportedly showing him with the supposed mutineers.

During the Feliciano Commission investigation Thursday, one of the accused mutineers, Navy Ltsg. Antonio Trillanes IV became hesitant in identifying Honasan after he was shown two photographs portraying a group of men supposedly meeting to plan the latest power grab against the President.

The two photographs showed a group of men standing in front of a blood-stained Philippine flag alongside a red flag with a sun in the middle. The likeness of Honasan had his back to the camera, which shot was taken from a surreptitious angle.

Lead special counsel for the Commission Mario Ongkiko asked Trillanes to identify if it is Honasan in the picture.

Ongkiko produced the "evidence" shortly after Presidential Security Group chief Col. Delfin Bangit showed it to the media in a news conference in Malacañang on the same day.