Reaction to Viewpoint column “Restitution” cascaded in. That June 3 column reported the Court of Appeals reaffirmed Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales’ order: Fire 10 Navy men linked to the 1995 murder of Ensign Philip Pestaño.
An Ateneo honor student, Pestaño joined the Navy after graduating from the Philippine Military Academy in 1993. As cargomaster for the ship BRP Bacolod City, he refused to load illegal logs and drugs..
Enrique Angeles helped elevate Pestaño’s murder to the UN Commission on Human Rights. From California, he wrote: Maybe, a “one-day international conference for Philip’s 20th death anniversary in 2015, should be organized. It could focus on the lessons of that cover-up for the nation’s justice system.”
Invite President Benigno Aquino III, Carpio-Morales, the UN Commission on Human Rights representative, plus those with some involvement in the case. It can endorse renaming the Navy headquarters after Philip.
Invite families of the missing enlisted men who helped Pestaño: PO2 Zosimo Villanueva and PO3 Fidel Tagaytay, Dr. Carolina Camara from Butuan added. They were liquidated. And compensation for them is long overdue.
Art Alfriz and Jess Sapala agree “after the closure of the case finding Pestaño a hero, not a heel.” Count me in, e-mailed Jimmy D. Blas of 185 Evergreen Drive in Westbury, New York. Blas commended all who “raised the level of awareness to go after murderers of a principled Filipino.”
“No, I don’t agree,” e-mailed Buninay 1. “The Navy failed him when it did not ferret out the truth about his demise. The Navy does not deserve to be given a makeover as shallow as a name-change, if it cannot live up to its mandate of protecting the country’s interest.
I would prefer that Pestaño’s name be lent to an academic institution to inspire the youth. It’d be folly (to allow) the Navy to bask in the honor of a comrade who perished on orders from those whose nefarious activities Pestaño sought to frustrate. “Nay, it will be the model of absurdity to allow the victimizer to reap honors for the victim.”
“Twenty sacks of shabu?” enquired Alexander Amproz. “But 0.02 grams gets five years jail for small potatoes. Our hopes remain with the fearless ‘Tres Marias’.” Mr. Moonlight notes that, “In Japan, when a man loses his honor he commits suicide.” Henri See adds: “PMA should be proud of its graduate, Ensign Pestaño. Hell, every Filipino should be proud of Pestaño. “PMAers… code of silence?” asked Asarin.
Those conspirators still living must be put on trial under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Ben Aquino argues: This kind of crime in the military is not acceptable. If continued to be hidden, it spreads fear among the troops and destroys their morale. Even retired conspirators are still liable.
If a cadet like Aldrin Cudia is dismissed from the PMA for being late two minutes, this crime must be solved immediately. Mr. President, you are the Commander-in-Chief. Act decisively.
Focus on the masterminds, the guys who issue the orders, not the subalterns who execute the orders, Satoriseeker urged. Remember the Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. assassination and Ferdinand Marcos, Danding Cojuangco, Fabian Ver and Luther Custodio? Focus on the brains.
“What is my viewpoint?” e-mailed cry_freedom. Strip them naked and feed their bodies to the dogs. Unfortunately, even the dogs, I’m sure, wouldn’t touch them. Dogs are a better lot. Or better yet, heat the Inferno 77 times 7 times. The Evil One would be happy to retire, what with these very able replacements.
“Is Admiral Pio Carranza still alive and still untouchable?” asked Tarikan in his e-mailed query. Only an admiral and yet he can unnecessarily waste those many lives? How much more if he was a politician… governor, congressman, senator?
Where are these “10 Navy officers linked to the 1995 murder of then 24-year-old Ensign Philip Pestaño,” asked Virgo Yap. “Are they now in jail? They inflicted a grave injustice against this righteous navy officer. I hope Pestaño will be given the honor that is due him.”
Please, please, show that justice will prevail and jail all those Navy men who killed Ensign Pestaño, wrote Taga-Masid. “Where is the pledge of brotherhood that PMA graduates swear to on graduation?”
One suggestion, e-mails AllaMo. Rename the farcical sounding Marcos highway into Pestaño highway. Kruger differed: Bring back the death penalty, line these cowards up and shoot them in the face! And kindly, stop this rename this, rename that BS!
Why dismissal only for the 10 Navy men? asked Eirons 1043. What about the civil and criminal liabilities of those involved in the Pestaño case especially the officers who covered it up. Why has the state not disbarred those involved in corruption. That is why corruption persists
Wouldn’t it be great for a nation addicted to gold braid and uniforms, plus “first places at table”, to have a Navy headquarters named after a lowly ensign? e-mailed Manuel de la Torre from Idaho, USA. Clothes or uniforms do not make a man.
Almost a hundred years back, the Chinese writer Lu Xun said: ‘All blood debts must be repaid in kind; the longer the delay, the greater the interest.’ What recompense and compounding interest are due adequate for the blood debts incurred against Pestaño and his men?