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Saturday, May 17, 2008
9 pardoned mutineers freed
MANILA -- Nine convicted Magdalo officers who were granted with an executive clemency by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo were released from jail Friday.
President Arroyo had signed General Orders Number 10 for the release of the nine Magdalo officers led by Captains Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrecampo from the military custody.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
Gambala and Maestrocampo were sentenced by Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 148 Judge Oscar Pimentel last month to reclusion perpetua or an imprisonment of 20 to 40 years after they changed their plea to guilty to the coup d'etat charges stemming from the failed Oakwood mutiny in July 2003.
Also sentenced were Captains Alvin Ebreo, Laurence Louis Somera, Albert Baloloy and John Andres; 1st Lieutenants Florentino Somera and Cleo Dongga; and 2nd Lieutenant Kristoffer Bryan Yasay to prison mayor or a jail term of six to 12 years after they also pleaded guilty.
Army spokesman Romero Brawner in a statement said, "The said officers, after having completed their medical exams and securing release order from the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 148, were subsequently issued release from custody by the newly installed commanding general of the Philippine Lieutenant General Victor Ibrado."
Brawner added that the Magdalo officers after five years of detention at Camp Aguinaldo were released from their detention at 12:10 p.m. Friday and were received by their lawyer Elaine Rombaoa.
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The Army spokesman also said the nine officers signed Joint Sworn Acceptance of Conditional Pardon at their detention cell, "stating their acceptance on the conditional pardon granted by the President along with the following conditions stated therein."
The conditions include that each of them shall be permanently and perpetually disqualified from rendering military service; and that each of them shall not commit any crime or felony or participate in a coup d'etat or other forms of military adventurism.
"They also expressed their sincerest gratitude to Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her magnanimous act of executive clemency," said Brawner.
The President, in her speech during the turnover of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief post on May 12, has approved the recommendation to pardon the nine Magdalo officers who had earlier sought her and the Filipino people's forgiveness after their conviction for staging the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny.
The approval is said to be the President's last act as Commander-in-Chief with Hermogenes Esperon Jr. as AFP chief.
Hermogenes Esperon Jr. is replaced by Lieutenant General Alexander Yano.
"The nine Magdalo soldiers commit to a new life and be useful citizens again by making part of their advocacies to tell other soldiers not to emulate them," said Brawner.
Earlier, 17 former AFP officers already took an oath as regular agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
These people have great potentials, talents, and skills that they can always use even out of the military service or with the other organizations, Brawner added.
The AFP will be offering a seminar to the nine released Magdalo officers to prepare them for their transition back into the mainstream of society, he concluded. (VR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (May 17, 2008 issue)
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