Filtered By: Topstories
News

Military court convicts 10 soldiers for Manila Pen siege


A military tribunal has sentenced 10 soldiers, including two former junior officers, to eight months imprisonment for the November 2007 siege of the posh Peninsula Manila hotel in Makati City, where they called for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The 10, however, are expected to be released soon since they have been incarcerated for more than two years already, according to their lawyer, Ed Abaya. "They are going to go out. Their period of detention is more than two years. They should be ordered released, unless there are pending cases before the military tribunal," Abaya said Thursday. The 10 are former Navy Lt. Senior Grade James Layug, former Marine Capt. Gary Alejano, Lieutenant Senior Grade Eugene Louie Gonzales, Lieutenant Senior Grade Andy Torato, Capt. Segundino Orfiano Jr., First Lieutenant Billy Pascua, Lieutenant Junior Grade Arturo Pascua, Marine Second Lieutenant Jonnel Sangalang, Ensign Arman Pontejos, Lieutenant Senior Grade Manuel Cabuchan. Layug and Alejano, core leaders of a group of self-styled reformist soldiers called Magdalo, are detained in Camp Aguinaldo, the main military camp; while the eight others are detained in Camp Crame, the main headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP). The soldiers have been detained since 2003 after joining the short-lived Oakwood mutiny in July 27 that year. Articles of War Abaya said that on Wednesday, his clients pleaded guilty to charges of violation of Articles of War 63 (disrespect to the President), 96 (conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman), 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline) and 70 (escape from confinement). He said his clients opted to plead guilty to the four charges before the military court because they sensed that they would be found guilty anyway. "Why prolong it since it appears that they would be convicted, at least for one offense," he said. Abaya added that he and his clients tried to enter into a plea bargaining agreement by pleading guilty to one of the charges in exchange for the dropping of the three other, but the prosecution blocked it. Other participants The 10, along with former Scout Ranger chief and now senatorial candidate Danilo Lim and Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, were also originally charged with violation of AW 67 or mutiny which was, however, dismissed by the court. Magdalo leader Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was with the group that occupied the hotel, but he was not charged before the military court as he was already deemed separated from the service when he ran in the 2007 elections. Lim and Faeldon are charged for violation of the four Articles of War before the tribunal, according to Abaya. Lim is also facing a separate military court for his involvement in the alleged plot to overthrow the Arroyo government in February 2006. Faeldon, meanwhile, escaped during the siege. The verdict would be referred to Armed Forces chief Gen. Delfin Bangit, the court’s convening authority, for review. Abaya said he expects the military leadership to uphold the decision by the court. "They will wait for the release order and then they will post bail," said Abaya of his clients. Layug and Alejano have actually posted bail a few weeks ago but were just transferred to Camp Aguinaldo from Camp Crame as their case before the military court were yet to be settled. — Mark D. Merueñas/KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV

LOADING CONTENT