TWO leaders of the failed coup dâétat admitted Thursday to the Senate committee of the whole that they took part in the blood compact, which symbolized their plot to topple the Arroyo administration.
| "Saddam... Errr... Honasan, we will defend you with our blood!" |
Questioned by Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, Army Captains Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrecampo confirmedâto the surprise of the senators and assembled observersâthat they took part in the ritual. Gambala, the valedictorian of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Marilag class of 1995, told the committee that he and Maestrecampo led the move in February soon after they attended the rites of the PMA Alumni Association in Manila. The ritual was performed in Gambalaâs military quarters. He said they applied the ritual on five or six other junior officers on different occasions to forge their âcommitment against corruption in the Armed Forces.â Asked to show the scar of the blood compact, Gambala pointed to his sleeved left bicep. The lawyers of the junior officers then approached them and whispered instructions to Gambala and Maestrecampo. This made Gambala change his mind and decline Biazonâs request for him to show the scar in public. Senate President Franklin Drilon intervened and urged Gambala to show the mark, but Gambala insisted on his right against self-incrimination, saying the blood-compact mark is âpart of their legal defense.â Gambalaâs admission came after the spy chief of the Philippine National Police on Thursday insisted on the authenticity of the two controversial photographs which showed opposition Sen. Gregorio âGringoâ Honasan and some suspected leaders of the mutiny allegedly holding the blood compact on June 13.
"It was a dark and stormy night. Outside, the wind blow and the rain fell. Inside â a secret blood ceremony..."
Nah. That story sucks. |
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