Prosecutors file charges against 321 mutineers

The National Bureau of Investigation lodged rebellion charges at the Justice Department against 321 military leaders and subordinates who had staged the mutiny.

"The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed charges of coup d'etat in violation of Article 134-a of the Revised Penal Code against 321 offices and men," said Reynaldo Wycoco, the NBI chief.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines started a court-martial proceedings against the soldiers, who are now under the custody of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) in Camp Aguinaldo in suburban Quezon City, following their surrender at the end of a mutiny on late July 27.

Similar charges would soon be filed against civilians who assisted the rebel soldiers. If indicted, the rebel soldiers would face death sentence.

The first civilian to be indicted was Ramon Cardenas, an ex-aide to deposed president Joseph Estrada who was arrested at his home in posh Dasmarinas Village in Makati City.

The rebel soldiers used Cardenas' home as a staging point of the mutiny. Early yesterday morning, Cardenas suffered hypertension while under the custody of the military in Quezon City. This prompted Rene Saguisag, his lawyer, to request for a transfer to a private hospital, but the request was not yet granted.

Authorities recently uncovered several other suspected hideouts, which were previously used by the rebel soldiers days before their mutiny.

"We believe that the 320 men who were involved in the coup cannot be accommodated in just three houses. It is possible there were other staging areas that were used," said Wycoco.

Interior Secretary Jose Lina said the discovery of the houses could help the government in filing of more charges against several civilians who allegedly supported the rebel soldiers.