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Wednesday, August 13, 2003
SC directs military to produce mutineers
By Benjamin B. Pulta
MANILA -- The Supreme Court (SC) remanded to the Court of Appeals (CA) on Tuesday the habeas corpus suit filed by lawyers of six junior military officers jailed for their alleged role in a failed coup against President Arroyo.
In a two-page resolution, the SC, through Clerk of Court Luzviminda D. Puno, tasked military officials to "appear and produce" the six officers before the Court of Appeals to where the High Court referred the case for raffle among justices.
The SC directed the military to explain the basis for the detention of the officers.
The officers have been in detention since a July 27 uprising by some 300 rogue soldiers who occupied a portion of Manila's Makati financial district and called for Arroyo and other officials to resign.
The government says the uprising, which ended without incident after about 22 hours, was part of a wider plot to assassinate the president and replace her with a military junta.
The July 27 standoff ended after the rebel soldiers agreed to return to barracks and face possible court martial.
The SC order requires the appearance of the officers on Aug. 18 before the CA and for appellate court justices to hear their petition and decide on its merits.
The ruling came after the officers filed a habeas corpus petition, which calls for an investigation into whether the jailing of an inmate is lawful.
The detained officers are: Captains Gary Alejano, Nicanor Gaeldon and Gerardo Gambala of the Marines; Lieutenants Senior Grade James Layug and Antonio Trillanes of the Navy; and Captain Milo Maestrecampo of the Army.
They have been detained at the military intelligence headquarters and their lawyers have accused the government of muzzling their clients. (With AFP)
(August 13, 2003 issue)
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