Tuesday, October 03, 2006 Oakwood mutineers fire lawyer
MAGDALO core leader Navy Lieutenant Senior Grade Antonio Trillanes and 46 other military officers involved in the short-lived Oakwood mutiny in 2003 have let go of their long-time legal counsel Ruel Pulido.
Pulido said he visited the detention of Trillanes and four other core leaders last week at the Marine headquarters in Fort Bonifacio and they informed him that they no longer need his free services in connection with pending cases against them.
Pulido has filed a manifestation before the Makati City court on Monday, informing the court that he is withdrawing his appearance for Trillanes, 11 other officers and two enlisted personnel in connection with their pending coup d'etat case.
He is also due to withdraw his appearance for the 12 officers and 33 other officers before the military's general court martial in Camp Aguinaldo which is trying them for several charges, including mutiny.
Pulido said he would also withdraw his appearance for three other Magdalo officers - 2nd Lieutenants Aldrina Baldonado and Angelbert Gay, and Navy Lieutenant Senior Grade Kiram Sadava, who are being linked to a plot to disrupt President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (Sona) last July 24 before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC).
The three officers were among those who were arrested by a composite military and police team at an apartment near the Batasan Pambansa complex in Quezon City where the President's address was to be held. The officers yielded explosives which they were supposed to be used to bomb the complex.
Asked what prompted the group of Trillanes to severe their ties with him, Pulido said: "It might be in the interest of all." Pulido said he respected the decision of the accused to fire him, saying: "It was mutual decision."
At the start of the hearings of the civilian and military courts, Pulido represented as much as 200 officers and men. The number dwindled after most of the enlisted personnel were already freed and some officers earlier also fired him.
Among the officers who earlier fired Pulido's services are two of the six core leaders of the group - Army Captain Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrecampo who later signed a manifesto declaring support for President Arroyo.
It was not immediately clear as to why the group of Trillanes cut ties with Pulido, who have been tagged by security officials as the propagandist of the
Magdalo Group, also known as the Makabayang Kawal Pilipino (MKP).
Pulido was investigated by the PNP's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) shortly after the supposed failed power grab by the group of former
First Scout Ranger Regiment commander Danilo Lim last February.
In January, Pulido was accused by then Army chief now Armed Forces head Hermogenes Esperon Jr. of facilitating the escape of five Magdalo officers from a detention facility inside the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio. (VR/Sunnex)
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