Nine Magdalo soldiers plead guilty to coup d' etat charges

(Updated 1:20 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines - Nine members of the Magdalo group changed their original positions Wednesday and pleaded guilty to charges of coup d'etat for the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny. Radio dzBB's Denver Trinidad said the information came from Armed Forces National Capital Region Command (NCRCom) spokesman Capt. Carlo Ferrer. The radio report identified those who changed their pleas as Captains Gerardo Gambala, Milo Maestrocampo, Alvin Ebreo, Laurence Louis Somera, Albert Baloloy and John Andres, 1Lt. Florentino Somera, 2Lt. Kristoffer Bryan Yasay and 1Lt. Cleo Dongga-As. The nine, all members of the Philippine Army, are among 31 military officers and men facing trial before the sala of Makati City Judge Oscar Pimentel in connection with the July 27, 2003 mutiny. Promptly, the counsel for Magdalo leader and detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV found the move of the nine soldiers "very unusual," hinting that they officers may have struck a deal with the government for a more lenient treatment. "Ang paniwala namin, this is very unusual. Nag-insist sila na ngayon sila basahan uli (We think this is very unusual. They insisted that the charges against them be read again)," laywer Reynaldo Robles said in an interview with dzBB. He added: "Nagulat ang ibang abogado. Baka may prior arrangement on how they will be treated by government (The other lawyers were surprised. We think there was a prior arrangement involving their treatment)," he said. He said the prosecution had recommended 17 to 20 years imprisonment to two of the soldiers while 10 to 12 years jail terms to the others. Robles further said the change in plea will not affect the case as conspiracy aspect has not been proven. He added those who changed their plea might be sorry in the end if the case will be dismissed. "Masama kung magkaroon ng acquittal, sila nag-plead na ng guilty (It will be bad for the nine if the other Magdalos will be acquitted because they already pleaded guilty)," he said. The lawyer expects the case to be resolved within the year. To recall, the nine soldiers were among those who in July 2007 pleaded guilty before a military court in connection with their involvement in the 2003 mutiny, changing the not guilty plea earlier entered by court on their behalf. They were accused of violating Articles of War 96 or conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. A month later, the military court handed out its decision sentencing the Army junior officers of dishonorable discharge. "The general court martial hereby imposes the following sentence (that of) dishonorable discharge," said court president Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Legaspi. In handing out the sentence, the court said the officers "brought dishonor to the profession of arms and the military" by occupying the Oakwood Premiere Suites in Makati City's commercial and financial district. - with reports from Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV