Timeline: Events leading up to Oakwood

Published April 8, 2008 2:17pm

July to December 2002

Rumors had been spreading that some military personnel were inquiring about the grievances of members of the armed forces.
Talks about recruitment from the ranks of the discontented and potential rebels in the military were heard from former members of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) and junior officers in the military.

June 2003

June 4, 12: Bloodletting rituals and gripe sessions took place in San Juan. Sen. Gregorio Honasan was allegedly present in both instances.
June 4: Navy Ensign Armand Pontejos, one of the mutineers, went to the International Flag House in Manila and placed a job order for 100pcs each of Philippine flags and Bonifacio flags. Subsequent additional orders raised the total cost to P45,000.00.
June 12: In a meeting in San Juan, the plotters planned to attack high-impact targets such as MalacaÃ±ang Palace, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Fort Bonifacio, Camp Crame, Villamor Airbase, Camp Aguinaldo, and all television and radio stations in Metro Manila.
June 30:

July 2003

July 11-23: A series of meetings organized to ensure security during President Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (SONA), were held. Details of the recruitment by the Magdalo group were discussed and reported to National Security Adviser Roilo Golez. President Arroyo was informed about persistent reports of rebel recruitment activities in the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP). PNP Chief Director Gen. Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. ordered all field commanders to investigate any unauthorized movements.
July 12: The intelligence group informed President Arroyo about persistent reports of rebel recruitment activities in the AFP and the Philippine National Police, particularly in Mindanao, Central Luzon, and Metro Manila.
July 13: Ltsg. Antonio Trillanes IV brought up the problem of corruption with President Arroyo during a meeting. It was during this meeting when President Arroyo allegedly scolded Trillanes instead of listening to him. MalacaÃ±ang, however, refuted this claim and described the conversation between the President and Trillanes as "cordial".
July 19: Army Capt. Gerardo Gambala checked in at Oakwood under the name of George Uy.
July 23: About 100 members of PMA '94 and '95 had dinner and a photo opportunity with President Arroyo in MalacaÃ±ang. Francisco Dimaculangan and Isidro Samaco purchased five Hyundai aerobuses worth P2.10 million from Car Option Sales, Inc. One bus was later found in Oakwood while another was abandoned in Binakayan, Cavite.
July 24-25: President Arroyo attended a military event and visited a military unit as part of the effort to neutralize the coup threat. AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Narciso Abaya also made rounds of other units where restiveness had been reported.
July 25: Troop movements actually occurred.

July 26, 2003

Early morning: the 10 suspected leaders declared unaccounted for by the AFP were identified: Trillanes, Navy Ltsg. James Layug, Gambala, Army Capt. Milo Maestrocampo; Army officers Capt. Lawrence Louis Somera, Capt. Albert Baloloy, 1/Lt. Lawrence San Juan, 1/Lt. FLorentino Somera, 1/Lt. Jose Enrico Demetrio Dingle, and 1/Lt. Waren Lee Dagupon.
12 NN: PNP Full alert status nationwide took effect.
5:00 PM: President Arroyo convened a full cabinet meeting on the looming coup plot.
Around 8:00 PM: President Arroyo publicly announced in the media that "a small band of rogue junior officers and soldiers had deserted their posts and illegally brought weapons with them." President Arroyo ordered the arrest of the junior officers who had deserted their posts.
Around 10:00 PM: PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) operatives and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents were dispatched to DasmariÃ±as Village, Makati upon the reported presence of heavily armed men in military uniform in the area.

Sources: GMA News, Feliciano Commission Report

Tags: magdalo, oakwoodmutiny