9 Magdalo soldiers sentenced 6 to 40 years imprisonment

MANILA, Philippines - The Makati Regional Trial Court on Tuesday handed down a sentence of imprisonment ranging from six years up to 40 years on nine members of the Magdalo group who pleaded guilty to charges of coup d'etat for the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny. Makati RTC Branch 148 Judge Oscar Pimentel sentenced Captains Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrecampo - who are among the Magdalo's core leaders - to reclusion perpetua or 20 to 40 years of imprisonment. While Captains Alvin Ebreo, Laurence Louis Somera, Albert Baloloy and John Andres, 1Lt. Florentino Somera, 2Lt. Kristoffer Bryan Yasay and 1Lt. Cleo Dongga were sentenced to prision mayor or 6 to 12 years in jail. Security was tight hours before and during the promulgation of the court decision. QTV's Balitanghali said more than 1,000 soldiers were deployed to secure the court building on top of police teams who were fielded the secure the promulgation proceedings. Troop visibility was likewise monitored along streets leading to the court. Those sentenced were brought into the court building onboard a military truck, handcuffed to their respective escorts, the QTV report said. A day before the promulgation, the Armed Forces on Monday lauded the nine Oakwood mutineers for pleading guilty and facing the consequences of their “wrong action" five years ago. “What is very, very admirable on the case of the nine officers is their courage to accept that they have committed something wrong and they are willing to face the consequences of the wrong actions that they have committed," said AFP public information officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro. At the same time, Bacarro dismissed the possibility of the nine re-entering into the military service. After five years of trial, the nine Army officers on Wednesday last week pleaded guilty, changing the plea earlier entered by the court on their behalf, prompting the prosecution to recommend 17 to 20 years imprisonment for Gambala and Mestrocampo, and 10 to 12 years jail terms to the seven others. The nine are also among 31 military officers and men who were ordered to be dishonorably discharged from the military service in connection with the July 27, 2003 mutiny for violating Articles of War 96 or conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. - Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV