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Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Palace welcomes court ruling v. 9 mutineers (4:16 p.m.)
MANILA -- Malacaņang hoped that the ruling of the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Tuesday imposing a six to 40 years jail term against nine Magdalo officers would serve as a lesson and a deterrent to future destabilizers and plotters against the administration.
Deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said they welcome and respect the ruling against the Magdalo soldiers who pleaded guilty to charges of coup d'etat for the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny, which he stressed was "rendered under due process".
"Those who committed crimes against the government and the Filipino people must pay the price for their anarchic actions. We hope they learned their lessons well," he added.
Makati RTC Branch 148 Judge Oscar Pimentel sentenced Magdalo core leaders Captains Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrocampo to reclusion perpetua or an imprisonment of 20 to 40 years, while Captains Alvin Ebreo, Laurence Louis Somera, Albert Baloloy and John Andres, 1st Lieutenants Florentino Somera and Cleo Dongga and 2nd Lieutenant Kristoffer Bryan Yasay were sentenced to prision mayor or six to 12 years in jail.
Last week the nine officers changed their plea of guilty, which was earlier entered for them after they refused to make any plea to not guilty, prompting the prosecution to recommend a 17 to 20 year prison-term for Gambala and Maestrocampo, and a 10 to 12 year jail terms to the seven others.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said the conviction against the Magdalo soldiers could be considered as a "victory of the justice system." (JMR/Sunnex) |
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