Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Court resets arraignment of Magdalo mutineers
By Benjamin B. Pulta
THIRTY-one officers involved in the July 27 Oakwood mutiny were not arraigned as scheduled Monday because the judge handling the case fell sick.
"We were all set for the arraignment but when we arrived there, we were informed that the judge had fever," said State Prosecutor Misael Ladaga. The judge handling the case against the so-called Magdalo Group was Judge Romeo Barza of Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 61.
Ladaga said the court reset the arraignment of the mutineers to Jan. 8, 2004 at 2 p.m.
Ladaga said the 31 mutineers who were indicted for staging a failed coup were present for their supposed arraignment Monday.
The accused were brought back to their respective detention centers following the cancellation of the court proceedings, it was learned.
Barza earlier ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct a new preliminary investigation of the case.
Last month, the DOJ dropped coup charges against 290 of the 321 soldiers who were earlier indicted for taking part in the failed July 27 coup.
In a 23-page resolution dated Oct. 30, 2003, prosecutors recommended the filing of charges against the 31 mutineers even as it dropped the charges against 290 enlisted men for insufficiency of evidence.
Those facing indictment for coup include Capt. Milo Maestrecampo, Lt. Sg. Antonio Trillanes IV, Capt. Gary Alejano, Lt. Sg. James Layug, Capt. Laurence Somera, Capt. Gerardo Gambala, Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, Capt. Albert Baloloy, Cap. Segundino Orfiano, Jr., Capt. John Andres, 1Lt. Sonny Sarmiento, 1Lt Cleo Dungga-as, 1Lt. Audie tocloy, 1Lt. Von Rio Tayab, 1Lt. Rex Bolo, 1Lt. Laurence San Juan, 1Lt. Warren Lee Dagupon, 1Lt. Nathaniel Rabonza, 2Lt. Kristoffer Bryan Yasay, 1Lt. Jonnel Sanggalang, 1Lt. Francisco Acedillo, Lt. Sg. Manuel Cabochan, Lt. Sg. Eugene Louie Gonzalez, Lt. Sg. Andy Torrato, Ens. Armand Gontejos, PO3 Julius Mesa, PO3 Cesar Gonzalez, Capt. Alvin Ebreo, and Lt. Jg. Arturo Pascua, Jr.
(December 16, 2003 issue)
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