Perlas Challenges Philippine Air Force to Release Pogoy Immediately

The Nicanor Perlas campaign just issued the following important Press Release regarding Captain Joenel Pogoy's detention by the Philippine Air Force.  We felt it was important to post it here -- immediately -- in its entirety.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               4669520
Tuesday, February 2, 2010                                                  

PERLAS: CAPTAIN JOENEL POGOY AN ANTI-CORRUPTION WHISTLEBLOWER NOT A MILITARY CRIMINAL

ADOPTS POGOY AS GUEST SENATORIAL CANDIDATE

Presidential Candidate Nicanor “Nick” Perlas today challenged the Philippine Air Force to stop violating the human rights of and release Air Force Captain Joenel Pogoy from harsh detention. “Captain Pogoy is a victim of human rights violations not a military criminal. He is a whistleblower exposing widespread corruption in the Philippine Air Force. Pogoy has documented the selling by military officers of spare parts and inadequate maintenance, the kind of corruption that produces defective planes that then endangers the lives of people,” said Perlas.

“We should be honoring, not punishing, men who have the guts and courage to expose corruption at the highest levels of government. This is the reason why, upon mutual agreement, I have included Captain Pogoy as my guest senatorial candidate. I encourage the Supreme Court to affirm Pogoy’s candidacy,” continued Perlas.

The Perlas agenda of government includes the eradication of corruption and advancing moral and effective governance in society among its top priorities. “I encourage and support all whistleblowers, whether they be in government, business, or civil society. We have to have a concerted, society-wide effort to get rid of the deadly disease of corruption in this country,” asserted Perlas.

Perlas made his announcement in the wake of the recent crash of a Nomad N-22B twin prop airplane and media reports linking him to Captain Pogoy. The plane crash killed nine people in a residential area in Cotabato City.  The plane crash brought public attention once more to the allegation of Captain Pogoy’s of corruption in the Philippine Air Force.

Capt. Pogoy graduated from the Philippine Military Academy, Class 1999. He was last assigned with the 220th Airlift Wing in Mactan, Cebu. Capt. Pogoy has been under detention since October/November of 2008 and was only charged in March of 2009 before the military tribunal. The Philippine Air Force claims that Capt. Pogoy violated Articles of War 96 and 97 (Conduct Unbecoming of an Officer and a Gentleman & Conduct Prejudicial to Good Order and Military Discipline, respectively.)

Pogoy was detained after videos surfaced on the popular video site YouTube alleging massive corruption among Air Force officials including the cannibalization of airplane parts in lieu of the purchase of new materials.

Pogoy also cited in his Blog captainpogoy.blogspot.com, in a post titled “PAF Press Release against Captain Pogoy,” dated April 8, 2009, two instances of the Nomad being involved in accidents: 1) “years ago” when a Nomad was forced to ditch/crash because of fuel pilferage; and,  2) a Nomad 87’s landing gear collapsing which Pogoy attributed to cannibalizing “items from junked aircraft to replace the discrepant parts.” He added that “millions of pesos” are stolen because of these corrupt practices.
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 As always, we welcome comments on this at the end of this post.  We can assure you we'll quickly forward them on to Nicanor Perlas and the campaign team.