THE leader of the short-lived Oakwood mutiny surrendered on Wednesday to his superior officers at the Philippine Marines.
Captain Nicanor Faeldon turned himself to the authorities almost three years after he escaped from the custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Faeldon is among the six core leaders of the Magdalo Group that occupied the posh Oakwood apartments in July 2003 to dramatize their protest against graft and corruption in the government.
Lawyer Trixie Angeles said his client surrendered as part of his commitment earlier. She did not give further details, except to say that he is presently in the custody of the Marines.
The Navy confirmed the surrender but also declined to give further details.
Navy chief Rear Admiral Danilo Cortez and Marine commandant Major General Juancho Sabban are set to appear in a press conference Thursday to discuss the details of the surrender.
"He was not caught. He returned to the Marines. This is part of his statement even before that he will return and allow himself to be under the jurisdiction of a duly-elected president. This has been planned ever since. This is not accident," said Angeles.
Faeldon first escaped from military custody in December 2005 after attending a court hearing.
He was subsequently arrested by military intelligence agents a month later in Malabon in the company of military prosecutor Captain Candelaria Rivas.
In November 2007, he and the Oakwood mutineers walked out of Makati City court along with former Scout Ranger chief Danilo Lim and subsequently occupied the Manila Peninsula Hotel. Lim was then testifying for the mutineers.
When government troops suppressed the siege, Faeldon sneaked out of the hotel's premises and went into hiding. He and the others who took part in the siege are facing a charge of rebellion before another Makati court.
He is also trial before a military court in connection with the Oakwood mutiny and with the Manila Peninsula Hotel siege. (VR/Sunnex)