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 53 OAKWOOD MUTINNERS FREED

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pickled_newt

pickled_newt


Number of posts : 135
Registration date : 2007-06-06

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PostSubject: 53 OAKWOOD MUTINNERS FREED   53 OAKWOOD MUTINNERS FREED Icon_minitimeThu Dec 20, 2007 10:21 am

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www.sunstar.com.ph



ENetwork Headline

Friday, December 21, 2007


53 Oakwood mutineers freed

MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) released Thursday 53 junior officers who were implicated in the short-lived Oakwood mutiny in July 2003.

The Magdalo officers' release came after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo commuted their sentence so they could spend Christmas with their families.

See here the names of 53 freed Magdalo officers

The officers were supposed to complete serving the prison term on January 27, 2008 imposed on them by a general court martial in April last year. The court has also ordered the dishonorable discharge of the officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.

AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. announced the commutation of the sentence of the officers and their subsequent release. He said the commutation of their sentence was supposed to have taken effect last Tuesday but this was delayed by administrative processing.

The officers are part of the 63 officers originally indicted before the military tribunal for mutiny, conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman, conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline disrespect towards the President and the defense secretary and disrespect towards superior officers.

However, 54 of the accused entered into a plea bargaining agreement in April, pleading guilty to a charge of conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline for the dropping of all the remaining cases filed against them.

The court promptly issued a verdict against the 54 officers, including a dishonorable discharge from the service and seven years and six months of imprisonment, minus three years for three mitigating circumstances.

In July, President Arroyo approved the discharge of the officers and their prison term, which was supposed to be completely served by January 27 next year.

The military has said the President's approval of the verdict signifies that military adventurism has ""no place in a democratic society."

Esperon said the sentence of the 54th officer -- Army First Lieutenant Patricio Bumidang -- who entered into the plea bargaining agreement was not commuted because he is standing as a state witness. He said Bumidang may no longer be a "good state witness" if he is discharged and released.

Interviewed after a dialogue with the officers prior to their release, Esperon said the President issued General Order (GO) 9, commuting the sentence of the Magdalo officers effective last Tuesday. However, the release was delayed to Thursday "because of some processing requirements."

When asked what prompted Arroyo to commute the sentence of the officers, Esperon said the Chief Executive wants the officers to spend Christmas with their families.

"Rather than have them wait up to January 27, then the President decided to commute that by more than a month so that they could enjoy Christmas with their families," he said, adding that there will be no difference if they are released on Thursday, instead of January 27.

"Effective today (Thursday), they are released as civilians, they are separated from the service without prejudice to benefits that are due them for the services that they have rendered while in the service," the military chief also said of the officers.

Esperon said he made a recommendation to the President to commute the sentence of the officers but it does not necessarily follow that the terms of his recommendation was the same that appeared on the general order the President issued.

"There are recommendations coming from the chief of staff, through the secretary of national defense (Gilberto Teodoro). I'm sure that the President, all along, must have her own thoughts about the matter," Esperon said.

Esperon also said the military has assigned a military adviser to each of the 53 officers to guide them land a job outside the military or for their possible return to the military service. He said the officers have aired intentions to return to the service.

"Most of them, if not all of them, have signified their intentions to remain in the service. They will have to manifest that probably in a letter but right now we already want to look at it. There has to be some manifestation from their side," said Esperon.

He added: "We are not closing everything, all doors to this, so if there are indeed appeals then we will consider that but for now the advisors would be the ones who would help them get back, rise." Esperon however said there will be "very strict processing" before their possible reinstatement.

Esperon doubted if there will be danger in reinstating them to the service because they have shown remorse and the capacity to reform. "That is for us to evaluate. I don't want to say that they are going to be recidivists but that is possible," he said.

"That will be part of our considerations especially in the light of the November 29 (Manila Peninsula siege) where we have some recidivists, not only for second time but for the third time or more so we will consider that," Esperon also said.

A number of officers involved in past destabilization moves and coups have been linked to the siege, which was led by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV -- a former Navy officer -- and former First Scout Ranger Regiment commander Danilo Lim.

Trillanes is one of the main leaders of the Oakwood mutiny while Lim -- along with former Marine commandant Renato Miranda and 29 other Army and Marine officers -- was implicated in the February 24, 2006 attempt to grab political power.

Incidentally, Lim was also involved in the failed coups in the 1980s against the administration of former President Corazon Aquino. The coups were mounted by rightist groups led by the Reform the Armed Forces Movement led by now Senator Gregorio Honasan. (VR/Sunnex)
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F**k OF A HELL TO THESE MAGDALO OFFICERS,THEY DON'T NEED ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT,THEY HAVE TO SERVE THE REST OF THE DAYS OF THEIR SENTENCE .WHAT THEY HELL IS THIS GLORIA THINKING OF AND F***ING FORGIVENESS AND KINDNESS ,HELL OF IT AND THE SAME PEOPLE WILL BE GIVEN THE CHANCE AGAIN TO SERVE AS TRUSTED SOLDIERS *F*** AND F****,AND THEN AGAIN THE F* GRINGO NOW AS SENATOR? WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS COUNTRY?
CRIMINALS CAN STILL RUN GET ELECTED AND MAKE LAWS?


Sorry for the many f's here but this a F***ing news!
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shakoy

shakoy


Number of posts : 389
Registration date : 2007-06-29

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PostSubject: Re: 53 OAKWOOD MUTINNERS FREED   53 OAKWOOD MUTINNERS FREED Icon_minitimeSun Dec 23, 2007 12:47 am

Newt, angay ra unta na silang pakuryentihan para dili na magbalikabalik ug pabuyag, dali mo peaceful ang atong nasud kung ang buluyagun pakuryentehan dayun para matudas.
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pickled_newt

pickled_newt


Number of posts : 135
Registration date : 2007-06-06

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PostSubject: Re: 53 OAKWOOD MUTINNERS FREED   53 OAKWOOD MUTINNERS FREED Icon_minitimeSun Dec 23, 2007 3:46 am

Usik kuryente shakuy,ipaka-on lang sa bu-aya ,maypa makabusog pa.
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shakoy

shakoy


Number of posts : 389
Registration date : 2007-06-29

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PostSubject: Re: 53 OAKWOOD MUTINNERS FREED   53 OAKWOOD MUTINNERS FREED Icon_minitimeSun Dec 23, 2007 4:33 am

pickled_newt wrote:
Usik kuryente shakuy,ipaka-on lang sa bu-aya ,maypa makabusog pa.

insakto kaayo newt, ang bu-aya, ipakaon pud sa bu-aya, bagay kaayo, hehehehe
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