World | Philippines
Nine soldiers plead guilty
Nine junior officers asked a judge yesterday to change their plea from innocent to guilty for their involvement in the failed 2003 coup d'etat, a prosecutor said in a radio interview.
- By Barbara Mae Dacanay, Bureau Chief
- Published: 00:05 April 3, 2008
Manila: Nine junior officers asked a judge yesterday to change their plea from innocent to guilty for their involvement in the failed 2003 coup d'etat, a prosecutor said in a radio interview.
Army Captain Milo Maestrecampo and Gerardo Gambala told judge Oscar Pimentel of the regional trial court of Makati City that they and seven junior officers have agreed to own up their responsibility in the brief takeover of the Oakwood Hotel on Ayala Avenue in July 2003, state prosecutor Pedro Navera said.
The other junior officers who joined them were Philippine Army's Alvin Ebreo, Laurence Louis Somera, Albert Baloloy and John Andres, first lieutenant Florentino Somera, second lieutenant Kristoffer Bryan Yasay, and first lieutenant Cleo Dongga-As.
In the early part of the trial, the nine soldiers insisted that the charges against them be read, after which they admitted their guilt, said laywer Reynaldo Robles. "What happened was very unusual," Robes said. "The other lawyers were surprised."
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