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Saturday, April 12, 2008
Convicted mutineers say sorry, seek pardon
MANILA -- The nine junior officers who were convicted by a Makati City court for the Oakwood mutiny asked for forgiveness Friday for their mistake even as they revealed that they are asking for a presidential pardon.
In a statement read by mutiny leader Army Captain Gerardo Gambala, the group said: "People have different views and interpretations on what we did at Oakwood but as direct participants of the said exercise, we know in our hearts that we are guilty; this we have accepted the verdict of the court and submitted ourselves to God Almighty."
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Gambala, along with Captain Milo Maestrecampo, was sentenced to life imprisonment last Tuesday for a charge of coup d'etat while seven others -- also with the ranks of captains and lieutenants -- were sentenced to six to 12 years of prison.
"We have trudged the wrong path when we crossed the boundary between professionalism and adventurism so we got lost along the way. But during the years we spent in detention, a sense of conviction dawned before each one of us in unique and wondrous ways which led us to acknowledge that we undoubtedly made a mistake. Since then, we learned to live each day with a contrite heart," they said.
"We came to the realization that while it is our right to seek redress for our grievances, we have to do so within the framework of our democratic institutions under the rule of law. And as long as these institutions are functional, it is our duty to strengthen them -- not to destroy them through force, violence or unlawful means," the convicted mutineers added.
The nine were among the more than 300 officers and men who occupied the posh Oakwood apartments in Makati City in July 2003 and protested alleged rampant corruption in government. The pleaded guilty to the coup charges last April 1.
"We apologize to the Filipino people. We humbly ask for your forgiveness for our act of rebellion, for setting a bad example to the future generations and for presenting ourselves as the only individuals who have the monopoly of idealism. While we have envisioned genuine reforms for our country, our actions at Oakwood brought political upheaval and further disunity. We have seen that instead of helping, we weakened the very country we dearly loved," the group said.
The group said they are placing their fate to the discretion of God and to the authorities, referring to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who has the power to grant them a pardon.
Earlier, Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said a pardon is possible for the nine convicted mutineers.
"We apologize to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the institution we have severely damaged, we appeal to our fellow soldiers not to emulate our actions at Oakwood. For no matter how noble our intentions were, what we did can never be justified, we came to realize that true changes starts from within one's own heart," they said.
In an interview, Gambala said his group has prepared a letter to the President for the grant of pardon. He said the letter is presently with their lawyer, who is processing their formal request for a presidential pardon.
"There is nothing I can do right now. I have accepted my verdict. The only thing I can do right now is to ask for mercy and grace of God and the authority. That's the only thing I can do right now -- I am asking for mercy and I can give nothing in return but my purest intention," he said.
Gambala, who has turned religious, along with Maestrecampo, while in detention, said he would "gladly accept for himself and for his family" if given a pardon. If not, he said he would continue to "knock and ask for mercy and grace."
"What I'll do is I will apply for pardon, I will ask for pardon everyday, every week, every month, every year until I will be given my freedom. That is what I am asking for, that is my desire. I will be hypocrite if I will not tell you that," he said.
He added: "We have already made necessary communications (for a pardon request) and we have already submitted to our lawyers (our letter) and our lawyers are now working on it because they are the ones outside, they are the ones who can make the necessary actions regarding it. We have given our appeal to our lawyers and they are the ones acting on it right now."
Gambala said they thought of applying for pardon even before they decided to change their plea before the civil court last April 1. He, however, clarified that there was no consensus reached with government or the AFP for them to change their plea.
"It's always an option even before. Whatever happens to our case, it will always be an option. It's a legal option that if ever we are found guilty, it will always be an option so we are trying that option right now," the officer said.
Gambala, Maestrecampo and six companions -- Captains Alvin Ebreo, Louis Somera and Albert Baloloy and 1st Lieutenants Cleo Donggas and Kristopher Bryan Yasay -- faced the media after seeking permission from the military leadership.
The ninth accused, Captain John Andres, was not able to make it to the press conference as he was brought to a hospital hours before the event for vomiting.
The eight were in their general office attire during the conference. All nine were part of a group that were sentenced by a military to dishonorable dismissal last year for conduct unbecoming of an officer, but they are still members of the military because their discharge has yet to be approved by the President.
Gambala turned misty eyed after a member of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines asked him why they were afraid of being further incarcerated and are appealing for a pardon when they said they were accepting the court's decision.
"I am doing that not because I want to evade the sentence. I am doing that because its one option that I can hold on to. Strip a man of everything but not his hope. It's a hope that I can have and the only hope that I have right now. Please don't take that away from me," said Gambala, adding that they have been in detention for five years already.
"I need to hold on to that not only for myself but also for my family. I have a son, a one-year-old son. He does not like what is happening to my life now but I would like to see him grow. I will bow, I will ask for your humility because that's the last hope that I have, please don't take that away from me," he added. (VR/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (April 12, 2008 issue)
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