Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV finally got back at his former superior, grilling him over complaints of massive corruption in the military, which precipitated the Oakwood uprising of 2003.

A former mutineer, Trillanes blew his top over repeated complaints by former Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes that his name was being damaged by allegations that he pocketed at least P150 million during his stint as military chief of staff.

“If you are so concerned about your name, you should have fixed yourself while you were in office!” an angry Trillanes thundered in the middle of the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing Thursday.

“This is the time of reckoning. You better find very good lawyers.”

The confrontation was unusual for graduates of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), whose respect for seniority endures even way beyond their careers in the armed services.

Trillanes, who led the takeover by rebel soldiers of the Oakwood hotel in Makati City in 2003, was Reyes’ junior at the PMA by more than 20 years.

Rabusa commended

Trillanes commended retired Col. George Rabusa for his statements at the committee hearing about how Reyes and other top military officials allegedly amassed millions from government coffers.

“You know, this issue is very personal to me and to my group,” he told Reyes, recalling his stint as a member of the Magdalo group of mutineers.

“We were incarcerated for more than seven years and during those times, all of you claimed that our allegations were baseless. Then here comes (Colonel) Rabusa, who, by the way, I would like to thank for coming out, for having the courage to stand up.”

Reyes’ request

Reyes denied Rabusa’s allegations and repeatedly asked senators to allow him to directly question his former subordinate. A resource person is not normally allowed in Senate hearings to address a fellow guest.

“Can I ask Colonel Rabusa, if, during the time that I was chief of staff, if I became greedy? Did I ask him for anything? Did I demand money from him, officially or unofficially?” Reyes said in Filipino.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada rebuffed him: “This is not an issue of greed. The issue is if you collected money, if you were corrupt as chief (of staff) of the Armed Forces. Who cares if you were generous?”

Function delegated

When he was finally allowed by Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, committee chair, Reyes asked Rabusa if he ever interfered in the preparation and distribution of the “provisions for command-directed activities” fund—the supposed source of loot in the AFP.

Rabusa said Reyes was telling the truth in this respect, but reminded his former boss: “No, sir, because you delegated the function to me and (retired Lt.) Gen. (Jacinto) Ligot (former comptroller).”

“The instruction that I heard directly from you before was, ‘Wag nyo lang akong papirmahin ng alanganin (Just don’t make me sign anything that would get me into trouble),’” he said.

Reyes replied: “This amount that you said you gave me, did I ask it from you?” Rabusa answered that Reyes did not, but was cut by Guingona, who said the hearing should not be turned into a “debate session.”

Money in vaults

During his stint as budget officer, Rabusa said he was tasked to handle so much money that he had to store the money in several vaults in his office. He said he was authorized to distribute amounts to commanders who would come to him.

Rabusa said he later sought Reyes’ permission to open an account for the funds. He said he eventually opened one under his name at a Security Bank branch in Makati City.

He said the deposit reached around P200 million before he decided to withdraw them at P10 million monthly later. He said he feared he might get caught by the just-created Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Rabusa appeared in the hearing only because he was approached by Estrada’s lawyer a few days ago.

Christian Esguerra, Phil. Daily Inquirer