RECENTLY released Magdalo leader and Taguig congressional bet James Layug vowed to continue the fight started by his group seven years ago when they seized the Oakwood Hotel in Makati city to protest alleged corruption in the military and the government.

Layug said their prolonged detention did not diminish their desire to continue their advocacies for good governance and reform. He said these advocacies which he shares with other Magdalo officers, some of whom are still in detention, is the reason why he decided to run for public office.

“Itong pulitika na ito na aming ipaglalaban ay isang pulitika na kakatawan sa boses ng masa, ipaglalaban ang interes ng bayan, babantayan ang kalikasan at maglilingkod ng tapat sa mamamayan. Kung kaya’t kami ay aktibong lalahok sa halalan upang maisulong ang pagbabago at reporma sa pamahalaan sa parlyamentaryong pamamaraan,” he added.

Layug said his campaign is utilizing some 4,000 supporters and popular social networking sites like You Tube, Facebook and Twitter to get his message across to voters in the city’s second district. He said his priorities are improved healthcare, access to education and a drug-free community.

Taguig’s second district has 13 barangays, including Fort Bonifacio where military personnel and retirees live. – Ashzel Hachero

MANILA, Philippines – A freed Oakwood mutineer on Monday vowed to continue espousing the advocacy of the Magdalo group, but this time, through parliamentary means.

James Layug, former member of the elite Navy Special Warfare and Operations Group (Swag), is running for congressman in the 2nd district of Taguig City.  He is one of ten Oakwood mutineers ordered freed by the Armed Forces (AFP) leadership after a military tribunal issued a ‘time-served’ verdict in a plea bargain agreement.

“And this is why we will actively participate in the coming elections to forward our goals of changing and reforming the government in the parliamentary way,” Layug said in a statement, a day after he was released from military custody.

The other members of the Magdalo seeking public office are former Air Force Captain Ashley Acedillo who is running as representative in the 1st district of Cebu and Gary Alejano, a mayoral bet in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.

“Sa aming paglaya ay dala namin ang commitment upang ipagpatuloy ang aming mga ipinaglabang adbokasiya sa Oakwood at isulong ang Bagong Pulitika [In our freedom, we bring with us our commitment to continue our advocacy in Oakwood and to push for new politics],” Layug said.

A product of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Layug explained their “new politics” is anchored on the principles of nationalism, patriotism, idealism and altruism.

“Our politics will truly represent the voice of the people; (politics) that will fight for the interest of the nation, safeguard our environment and create faithful public servants,” Layug said.

Layug and Alejano were among the Magdalo members that were released from the ISAFP compound in Camp Aguinaldo. The other eight are still detained and awaiting bail at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

General Delfin Bangit, AFP chief, ordered the release of the 10 Magdalo soldiers on Sunday, a week after a military tribunal converted to “time served” the eight months prison term for the 10 soldiers who admitted before the tribunal that they were guilty of violating the Articles of War in connection with the Manila Penn siege in late 2007.

“I would like to give credit to the present AFP leadership for their professionalism in accepting and respecting the decision of the General Court Martial on our case,” Layug said.

Layug and several others have been in detention for six years and nine months since the short-lived Oakwood mutiny ended on July 27, 2003.

The other Magdalo soldiers awaiting bail are LTsg Eugene Gonzales, Ltsg Andy Torrato, LTsg Manuel Cabochan, Air Force Capt Dan Orfiano, LTjg Arturo Pascua, Air Force Lt Billy Pascua, Lt Jonneil Sangalang, and Lt Armand Pontejos. (Anthony Vargas)

DETAINED Magdalo congressional candidate James Layug believes that his campaign is gaining grounds and that “People Politics” is breaking the hold of the traditional political campaigning in the second district of Taguig City.

With his campaign slogan “Ikaw at Ako ang Lakas ng Pagbabago” he explained that the ultimate source of power is the people. “We empower the people by getting them involved in this political exercise. The change that we want is in our hands. If we want a better future for our children then we should act and do something about it now.” Layug said.

He described people politics to be the “Bayanihan” effort of more than 4,000 volunteers who are going around the district doing door-to-door campaigning representing him, selling the Bagong Katipunan ideals and communicating his advocacies despite his absence on the ground.

Layug advocates good governance, people empowerment, peace and order, social equity, justice and environmental protection while the Bagong Katipunan ideals is the new politics espoused by the Magdalo anchored on nationalism, patriotism, idealism, and altruism.

Aside from conveying the political message of Layug, the said volunteer campaign workers also conduct social investigation in order to grasps the needs and sentiment of the people making their campaign effort productive and more meaningful.

Layug also uses the social networking sites on the net such as facebook, youtube, twitter and his website www.jameslayug.com to reach out to his constituents on the web. He is currently detained at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City for his participation in the Oakwood 2003 and Manila Peninsula 2007 incident.

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A military tribunal sentenced on Wednesday to eight months in prison 10 former military officers from the reformist group Magdalo for their their participation in the November 2007 incident at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City, their lawyer said yesterday.

The 10, led by Magdalo core leaders Lt. (sg) James Layug and Capt. Gary Alejano, were given the light verdict after pleading guilty to all the four remaining charges filed against them before the court headed by Maj. Gen. Eduardo Oban.
The eight other officers were Lts. (sg) Eugene Gonzales, Andy Torrato, Manuel Cabochan; Capt Dan Orfiano; Lt. (jg) Arturo Pascua; and 1Lts. Billy Pascua, Jonnel Sangalang, and Armand Pontejos.

Lawyer Ed Abaya said his clients pleaded guilty to charges of violation of Articles of War 63 (disrespect to the President), 96 (conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman), 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline) and 70 (escape from confinement). The charge of mutiny was dropped.

Abaya said he and his clients tried to enter into a plea bargaining agreement, by pleading guilty to one of the charge in exchange for the dropping of the three other offenses, but the prosecution opposed it.

Abaya said the court, in handing down the sentence, credited the detention of his clients since the commission of the alleged crime. The accused actually have been in detention since July 2003 for their participation in what is called Oakwood mutiny.

On November 28, 2007, the ten officers together with Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim walked out of the hearing of their coup d’etat case at the sala of Judge Oscar Pimentel at the Makati Regional Court and proceeded to the Manila Peninsula where they declared withdrawal of support from Gloria Arroyo.

Last February , Makati Regional Trial Court Judge Elmo Alameda granted the petition for bail of the accused who include Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Brig.Gen. Danilo Lim, the ten officers and six former enlisted men saying that what happened in Nov 2007 was not rebellion but simply contempt of court. He set a P200,000 bail for each of the accused.

The six enlisted men were released on bail. Alejano, who is running for mayor in Sipalay, Negros Occidental and James Layug, who is running for congressman in the second district of Taguig city, posted bail but the military took custody of them because of the court martial case. They are now detained at the ISAFP compound in Camp Aguinaldo.
The eight other officers are detained in Camp Crame custodial center.

Trillanes was not included in the court martial case because he was no longer in the military at the time of the Manila Pen incident.

Capt Nicanor Faeldon, who escaped during the Manila Pen siege, was also charged with mutiny and several other charges.

Abaya said the latest development will pave the way for his clients’ eventual freedom. “They are going o go out. Their period of detention is more than two years (since the Manila Peninsula Hotel siege).They should be ordered released, unless there are pending cases before the military tribunal,” he said.

Abaya said the verdict would be referred to Armed Forces chief Gen. Delfin Bangit, the court’s convening authority, for review. Nevertheless, he said he expects the military leadership to uphold the the court’s decision.- with report by Victor Reyes

Related links:

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The Philippine National Police (PNP) want to place under the list of election hot spots seven key cities in Metro Manila, a high-ranking police official revealed on Monday.

Police Director Roberto Rosales, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), told reporters that their assessment of the seven cities showed that the contest for the local positions up for grabs on May 10 would result be intense and could result in violence.

“It is not yet final [listing the cities as hotspots] and we are still conducting continuous assessment,” Rosales said adding that police intelligence reports could play a vital role in their recommendation that the seven cities under watch be placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“We had a survey in the cities here in Metro Manila, and those hotly contested, especially for the positions of mayor, vice mayor, and congressmen—and we were able to identify these cities,” Rosales said after attending the weekly flag-raising ceremonies at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame.

According to Rosales, the cities in Metro Manila that they are closely monitoring are Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Taguig, Makati, Pasay, Manila and Quezon City.

He explained that the seven cities are habitual areas of concern during the past elections because of the “intense political rivalry” for the local posts.

The PNP leadership earlier classified 571 cities and municipalities as election areas of concern and 118 of these are found in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where Maguindanao is located.

Maguindanao gained notoriety for the massacre on November 23 of 58 people including 32 journalists allegedly perpetrated by Ampatuan clan of the province. Besides the journalists, those who were killed were supporters of a politician who intended to run against a younger Ampatuan for the governorship of Maguindanao.

BY SAMMY MARTIN Reporter

The Manila Times

FROM behind bars, former Lieutenant Senior Grade James Layug formally launched on Sunday his campaign to represent the second district of Taguig City in the House of Representatives with a motorcade by his supporters.

“It is my conviction to fulfill our hopes and dreams. We, the people of Taguig, should have better employment, improved healthcare, access to education and a drug-free community. These are my priorities for our district,” Layug issued the statement from his detention cell in Camp Crame.

Layug is a member of the Magdalo group of reformist junor officers who attempted to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in July 2003 in Oakwood , Makati and in November 2008 at the Manila Peninsula. He is facing charges of coup de’tat and rebellion in military and civilian courts.

Independent Layug is up against the incumbent Angelito “Jett” Reyes, who recently won his electoral protest against Henry Dueñas, who held the position for the more than two and half years; Liberal Party’s Freddie Tinga, currently Taguig mayor; Nacionalista Party’s Arvin Alit.

Reyes, who belongs to a local party, is the son of recently resigned Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, who is also trying to gain a House seat through 1-UTAK, party list group of transport players.

Tinga is the son of retired Supreme Court Justice Dante Tinga, who is running for mayor.

Layug said he has six advocacies that will be the foundation for his programs and policies. These are good governance, people empowerment, peace and order, social equity, justice and environmental protection and management.

Layug said, “Sana yung mga gustong mag-aral, makapag-aral. Yung umaasang makapag-trabaho, makapagtrabaho. Yung nangangailangan ng gamot ay makapagpagamot.”

In people empowerment, for example, Layug said he believes in the Filipino spirit of “bayanihan” as an instrument of change. He added that as a united citizenry, Filipinos can achieve great feats of nation building.

Layug’s campaign kicked off with a Palm Sunday mass at the Ina ng Dukha Parish Church at the Tenement area in Western Bicutan. Kabisig ni Layug community leaders, as well as Magdalo Para sa Pagbabago Movement local and national members, attended the event.

The mass was immediately followed by a motorcade and a door-to-door campaign.—Ellen Tordesillas

Sa Bayan kong Mahal,

15 taon na ang nakalilipas, March 04, 1995 ng ako ay nagtapos sa Philippine Military Academy. Tandang tanda ko pa ang pakiramdam ng iabot ni Pangulong FVR ang aking diploma at ang kaakibat na responsibilidad kasama nito. Ako ay tuwang-tuwa at excited na simulan at isakatuparan ang aking tungkulin na maglingkod sa bayan at maging taga-pagtanggol ng ating mamamayan.

Marami pong nangyari sa aking buhay militar mula noong panahong iyon may mabuti at may di gaanong mabuti ngunit sa pangkalahatan naging maganda at produktibo po ang aking buhay serbisyo. Ako po ay na destino sa iba’t ibang lugar, naki-salimuha sa iba’t iba nating mga kababayan, at nagkaroon ng oportunidad na marinig ang sari-saring hinaing ng ating mamamayan. Sa ganitong paraan ako po ay namulat sa katotohanan na malaki ang problema ng ating Bayan.

Kung kaya’t noong July 2003 ako po ay sumama sa Oakwood at muli noong November 2007 kami po ay nanindigan sa Manila Penn upang pigilan ang pagpapasasa ng isang rehimeng magnanakaw, mandaraya at manloloko na siyang nagbabaon sa kahirapan sa ating mga kababayan. Kami po ay nanawagan ng kaayusan sa ating mga lider di lamang para sa kapakanan natin ngunit para na rin sa kinabukasan ng susunod na henerasyon. Sa ganitong kadahilanan kami po ay ikinulong at tinangal sa serbisyo.

At doon po nagtapos ang yugto ng aking buhay militar. Ngunit hindi ang aking patriyotikong tungkuling maglingkod sa bayan. Kung kaya’t aking napag desisyunan na ialay muli ang aking serbisyo sa bayan at sa pagkakataong ito ay sa pamamagitan ng paglahok sa arena ng lehislatura.

Marami ang nagtatanong, “bakit ka lalahok sa pulitika?” Ako po ay lalahok sa pulitika ngayong halalan sa Mayo sa tatlong kadahilanan.

Una, upang ipagpatuloy ang aming mga ipinaglalabang adbokasiya noon sa Oakwood at isulong ang Bagong Pulitika. Isang pulitika na naka-angkla sa prinsipyo ng: Nationalismo o ang pagmamahal sa sariling lahi. Patriotismo o ang pag-ibig sa bayan. Idealismo o ang pagtindig sa katarungan at katotohanan. At Altruismo o ang palilingkod ng may malasakit sa kapwa.

Ikalawa, ako ay naniniwala na mas maipaglalaban ko ang interes ng residente ng 2nd district ng Taguig sapagka’t malaking bahagi nito ay binubuo ng military barrios. Bukod sa ako ay militar, ay anak din ako ng isang enlistedman kung kaya’t naiintindihan ko ang hirap na dinadaanan ng bawat pamilyang militar. Ang ibang sector naman tulad ng urban poor, labor, muslim community, at kabataan ay aking nakahalubilo at nakasalamuha sa aking paglaki sa naturang lugar kung kaya’t sila ay kaya kong bigyan boses sa lehislatura sa pamamagitan ng pagsulong ng mga sumusunod na adbokasiya; Good Governance, Social Equity, People Empowerment, Justice, Peace and Order, at Environmental Protection and Management.

Ang Ikatlo, ay dahil po sa Pag-asa, isang “Bagong Pag-asa.” Matapos ang Oakwood at ang pagka-panalo ni Sen Trillanes bilang senador ay itinali na ng marami nating kababayan ang kanilang pag-asa na makamit ang isang matino, malinis, at maayos na pamahalaan sa grupong “Magdalo.” Kung kaya ako po ay lalahok sa pulitika upang makatulong na maisakatuparan ang pag-asang ito.

Ang sunod na katanungan ng nakararami ay, “kaya mo bang manalo laban sa makinarya at salapi ng Trapo Politics?” Nuong una ay may agam-agam sa aking isip. Ngunit ngayong nakikita ko kayo at nadaramdaman ang maalab na pagsuporta ninyo, ang sagot ko po ay isang kampanteng, OO. Ang “Lakas ng nakakaisang Sambayanan” ang itatapat natin sa mga trapo. Sama-sama nating isusulong ang tunay pagbabago at sasagasaan natin ang anumang balakid na haharang sa atin upang makamit ang isang mapayapa, masagana at maunlad na bukas.

Sa araw na ito ako ay muling tumutugon sa tawag ng tungkulin o “Call to Active Duty”. At muli aking ini-aalay ang aking serbisyo sa sambayanan.

Ako po si LTSG JAMES ARANDILA LAYUG. Isang Magdalo. Isang Bagong Katipunero.

Mahaba man ang dilim. Malayo man ang umaga. Mahirap man ang maging paglalakbay. Sama-sama nating tatahakin ang landas patungong silangan upang salubungin ang bukangliwayway ng bagong pag-asa.

Mabuhay ang Pagbabago!

Mabuhay ang Sambayanang Pilipino!

(Sgd) LTSG JAMES LAYUG

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang yesterday assured the public there would be no failure of elections this May but warned of a possible military takeover in the ensuing chaos arising from such an event.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Charito Planas said President Arroyo is definitely stepping down on June 30 and arrangements were already laid out for a peaceful turnover to the next chief executive.

Planas made the statement amid talks of a possible failure of the country’s first nationwide automated elections allegedly being orchestrated by the administration to prolong Mrs. Arroyo’s stay in power, starting with the appointment of her trusted generals to top posts in the military.

Planas noted that Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile issued a similar warning of a possible military junta taking over in the event of political turmoil arising from a failure to install a new president by June 30.

“It’s possible that the military would take over. That’s possible as military juntas have taken over in several countries in Southeast Asia,” Planas told a news briefing.

When asked whether the President is prepared to remain in office while waiting for the new president to be proclaimed, Planas said: “Let’s look at the Constitution.”

“It’s not the President who will say: ‘I want to remain here.’ It’s the situation and the Constitution that will dictate what will happen,” Planas said but did not elaborate.

Planas, however, stressed the possibility of a failure of elections occurring is extremely remote.

She said the public should not confuse delays or failures in the transmission or canvassing of voting results as failure of elections.

Once the votes are cast, the elections have successfully occurred, Planas said.

Even in past elections where votes were counted manually, Planas said the declaration of failure of elections was only limited to certain areas or polling precincts.

Presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo, for his part, said there has never been a general declaration of a failure of elections in the country’s political history.

“Even with the manual counting of votes. Now there will be automated counting in most precincts, with no more than 30 percent manual count in a worst case scenario, Hence, there is nil chance of failure,” Saludo said, citing the argument of election lawyer Romulo Macalintal.

Even in the face of ceaseless arguments that the May 10 elections is likely to fail, Saludo assured this would not happen.

“Our elections have never failed. Neither will the 2010 polls, even if all our votes are counted by hand,” Saludo said.

Malacañang earlier called on the public to support the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure the successful holding of peaceful and honest polls on May 10.

Critics had warned the power crisis in Mindanao is only the dry run of the plan to stage a failure of elections.

The opposition Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) of former President Joseph Estrada said Malacañang is exerting all efforts to allow Mrs. Arroyo to stay in power.

“And now that its end is near, the whole country is witnessing how this administration appears to be using every trick in the book to extend its hold on power even when our people are clearly eager to replace it through the ballot,” PMP spokesman Ralph Calinisan said.

Opposition Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Delfin Bangit would be forced to retain Mrs. Arroyo in power if a failure of election is declared on May 10 where no president and vice president are proclaimed.

Rodriguez said no one among her constitutional successors could serve as head of state since the terms of Vice President Noli de Castro, Senate President Enrile and Speaker Prospero Nograles will all lapse on June 30 along with Mrs. Arroyo.

For his part, Bangit said he would not go beyond his oath of providing security in case a failure of election occurs in May.

Bangit also appealed to critics to spare the military from political intrigues.

“I already made my statement. I won’t repeat it anymore. I have my oath and it will be to protect and to support the Constitution, nothing more, nothing less…I will not go beyond my oath,” he said.

AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, Jr. said the military has no intention of taking over the government in the event that no president is proclaimed or to lengthen President Arroyo’s stay in power.

“Our mandate is to provide security. In case there is a failure of elections, our mandate is very clear. We will come in to maintain peace and order. That’s all,” Brawner said.

Brawner said the AFP would only come in to help the Philippine National Police (PNP) restore order if a failure of elections is declared.

Brawner said such intervention by the military would ensure the constitutional provisions on succession would be upheld. – With Alexis Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano