Marine in court martial over Erap biopic CDs cleared

By Mario J. Mallari

02/09/2010

A Marine lieutenant, who was court martialled for distributing compact discs of deposed President Estrada’s biopic in 2006, was cleared of two of the three charges of violations of the Articles of War.

Navy spokesman. Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said Marine Lt. Artemio Raymundo’s petition to declare him not guilty of the charges of violations of Articles of War (AW) 96 or conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, and AW 97 or conduct prejudicial to military order and discipline was granted by the Special General Court Martial.

Arevalo, however, said Raymundo is still facing charges of violation of AW 64 or disrespect to superior officer in connection with his distribution of Estrada’s biopic entitled “Ang Mabuhay para sa Masa” which was rated “X” by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board in 2006.

“The defense moved to declare Raymundo not guilty with respect to AW 96 and 97 and the court granted it. With respect to AW 64, the court said it is yet to be heard, the defense has to present its evidence to prove that Raymundo is not guilty,” Arevalo told reporters.

“The defense has to prove its case, meaning there is a prima facie case to show that he might be guilty. That is why there has to be a hearing, further hearing,” he added.

The Special General Court Martial hearing Raymundo’s case is headed by Commodore Jose Luis Alano, commander of the Naval Forces Luzon.

In September 2006, Raymundo, then detailed with the Marine Field Artillery Battalion, was ordered restricted to barracks and subsequently investigated for spreading the controversial biopic of Estrada after the military leadership claimed there was “politic color” in the CD which depicted the life and times of the deposed President.

Raymundo was reportedly ordered by his immediate superior, then Maj. Danilo Luna, to stop distributing the CD, but he supposedly defied such directive, prompting Luna to order him restricted to barracks.

Subsequent charges of violations of the Articles of War were filed against Raymundo before the general court martial.

The military leadership had clarified that the CD, per se, was not banned and that it was Raymundo’s defiance of the order by his commanding officer, who wanted to keep his men insulated from politics, that prompted the filing of the cases against him.

Raymundo will remain in detention until the last case against him is resolved.

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