On Target: Caught in the crossfire

The granting of bail by the Supreme Court to Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who is charged with plunder, doesn’t seem to have strong opposition from the public.

Why?

Because aside from his advanced age—Enrile is 91—as defense minister, he played a key role in unseating the dictator Ferdinand Marcos along with  then Lt. Gen. Fidel V. Ramos, Philippine Constabulary chief and deputy chief of staff of the Armed Forces, through Edsa I.

The citizenry—especially those who lived those tumultuous times in 1986—has not forgotten it owes a debt of gratitude to Enrile.

Without Edsa I, which was triggered by Enrile and Ramos’ defection from the Marcos dictatorship, we would still be under military rule.

Most probably, the high court justices who voted to have Enrile temporarily set free on bail took into consideration his role in Edsa I.

*                                 *                                *

The course of history would have changed if Enrile and Ramos decided to form a junta—what they did was a civilian-backed coup d’état—until a new election took place or one of them grabbed the reins of power, with backing from the other, and ruled the country democratically.

But Enrile and Ramos never did that and gave way to Cory Aquino who was in Cebu at the height of the Edsa revolution.

The rest is history.

No matter what the outcome of the plunder case against Enrile will be, history will treat him kindly.

*                                *                               *

The trial of retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan for kidnapping and serious illegal detention goes on seemingly without an end.

Palparan has been charged along  Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio.

As a journalist looking at the case objectively, I dare say that Palparan had nothing to do with the disappearance of University of the Philippines (UP) students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño.

He most probably didn’t know the two students existed. As an Army division commander, his mind was too preoccupied with so many things to plan the kidnapping.

Palparan was the superior of Anotado and Osorio who were directly linked to the kidnapping of the two UP students, suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

His link to the case was through command responsibility.

Following the principle of command responsibility, then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo should have been charged along with Palparan, Anotado and Osorio because she was then their Commander in Chief.

*                               *                              *

Why do you think Palparan and his two coaccused were transferred from the Bulacan provincial jail to a detention cell at the Philippine Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio?

Because Palparan’s continued detention at the Bulacan provincial jail would have demoralized the entire Army officers corps and rank and file. For them, Palparan and his coaccused didn’t commit any crime as they were waging a war against the communist NPA.

And in war, innocent civilians get in the crossfire.