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Monday, April 14, 2008
Defense chief recommends conditional pardon to 9 mutineers
MANILA (Updated 12:30 p.m.) -- The Department of National Defense is set to recommend a conditional pardon for the nine junior officers who were convicted for their participation in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny.
In a press conference held Monday at Camp Aguinaldo, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said he agreed with the recommendation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to grant executive clemency to the convicted soldiers as they have shown remorse, adding that the move goes hand in hand with the President's approach towards political reconciliations.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
Teodoro however said the decision to grant conditional pardon to the nine mutineers will lie solely with President Arroyo.
"The nine officers should not violate any law or commit a crime. They are not bound to rejoin the military forces," said Teodoro.
Related story:
Teodoro, Esperon endorse pardon for convicted mutineers
Teodoro also stressed that a new defense secretary cannot revoke the conditions set in granting executive clemency to the convicted mutineers not unless President Arroyo changes the conditional pardon to absolute pardon.
The convicted mutineers apologized to the Filipino people, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and the AFP. They appealed for Arroyo's pardon.
The nine junior officers are Captains Gerardo Gambala, Milo Maestrecampo, John Andres, Albert Baloloy, Alvin Ebreo and Lawrence Louis Somera and 1st Lieutenants Cleo Donga-as and Florentino Somera Jr. and 2nd Lieutenant Kristopher Bryan Yasay.
Gambala and Maestrecampo were sentenced to life imprisonment while the seven others got six to 12 years.
AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon on Monday said he cannot speculate on giving pardon to other officers since trial continues for the remaining officers. (Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (April 14, 2008 issue)
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