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Monday, December 08, 2003
31 Magdalo leaders facing life terms
By Claudine C. Dumalag
* Besides the 31, the rest were only been reprimanded for "allowing themselves to be put in hot water"
MINOYAN, Murcia -- Life imprisonment and discharge from the service awaits the 31 Magdalo rebel leaders, including two Negrosanons, while their case is being heard by the Court Marshall, for the July 27 mutiny at Oakwood Complex, Makati City.
Gen. Narciso Abaya, Armed Forces chief of staff, during his routine visit at the 303rd Infantry Brigade headquarters here Friday, said 133 other mutinous soldiers have been released recently because they were only "misled" although court charges have also been lodged against them for violation of the Articles of War.
Besides the 31, he stressed, the rest have only been reprimanded for "allowing themselves to be put in hot water."
"They just joined the group out of curiosity. They are among the few who were misguided," Abaya further said of the 133 soldiers who joined the Magdalo group when they holed up at the Oakwood Complex, calling for the resignation of then Defense Secretary now kidnapping czar retired Gen. Angelo Reyes.
The Magdalo group, led by Navy Lt. Senior Grade Antonio Trillanes IV and Army Capt. Gerardo Gambala also protested the graft and corruption allegedly prevalent in the Armed Forces hierarchy.
Among the coup plotters of the failed mutiny are Negrosanons Army Capt. Milo Maestrocampo, a native of Talisay City and Capt. Gary Alejano of Sipalay City.
They are graduates of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1995, from whose batch the coup leaders came from including Trillanes and Gambala.
The other Negrense soldiers who joined the foiled coup to oust President Arroyo are 1Lt. Julius Navales, a graduate of PMA class '98 and a native of La Carlota City; 1Lt. Laurefel Gabales, a native of Silay City; and 2nd Lt. Julius Panaligan, also a native of La Carlota. They were not leaders of the coup though.
Charges
Abaya said they studied the counter-affidavits filed by the mutineers and they found out that aside from the 31, the rest were "only misled by those 31 others who headed the coup attempt."
While their leaders face Court Marshall, the followers were found to have violated the Articles of War and will also face charges before the Makati Regional Trial Court.
"They (31) will be discharged from the service while their case is being heard in court. As you can see only four percent of them joined the coup," said Abaya of the failed coup d' etat.
The other leaders of the uprising were Lt. Senior Grade James Layug, of the Navy; Captains Laurence Louis Somera, Jose Enrico Demetrio Dingle, and Albert Baloloy; 1st Lts. Laurence San Juan; Florentino Somera, and Warren Lee, all of the Philippine Army.
Most of those who joined the coup are junior officers of the PMA Class'94 and Class'95.
(December 6, 2003 issue)
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