GMA inclined to pardon 9 Oakwood mutineers

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo is inclined to grant pardon to the nine military officers convicted for the 2003 Oakwood mutiny in Makati even as Cabinet members are divided over granting clemency to coup plotters, Malacañang officials said yesterday.

A member of the Cabinet security cluster said Mrs. Arroyo was “receptive” to granting executive clemency to the nine convicted Magdalo officers who apologized last week and sought the forgiveness of the President and the public.

“I think the issue of remorse would be a factor in the President’s decision,” the official who refused to be identified told The STAR. “If you recall, they have already apologized and saluted to her before.”

The Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) submitted to Mrs. Arroyo yesterday a recommendation to pardon the nine military officers who were sentenced to prison terms ranging from six years to life.

AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., in a telephone interview, said that he and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro submitted to the President the recommendation for clemency after the junior officers led by Army Captains Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrecampo, who have been detained for five years, showed remorse and made a public   apology last Friday.

Aside from Gambala and Maestrecampo, those recommended for pardon were Captains John Andres, Albert Baloloy, Alvin Ebreo, Lawrence Louis Somera; First Lieutenants Cleo Donga-as, Florentino Somera Jr. and 2Lt Kristopher Bryan Yasay.

Gambala and Maestrecampo were sentenced to life imprisonment, while the other officers were sentenced six to 12 years in prison, after they pleaded guilty to coup d’etat charges filed against them at the Makati City Regional Trial Court.

The Palace source said Gambala’s group early on in their detention had distanced themselves from the group of hardline Magdalo members led by detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes.

Another Palace official, also a member of the Cabinet security cluster, however said it would be too early to gauge the sentiment of Mrs. Arroyo and that he himself is not convinced with granting clemency to the officers.

“I will give my opinion to the President when asked,” the official said.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said the grant of pardon to the convicted rebel officers has not been formally discussed in the Cabinet since there is no formal move yet from the convicts to seek pardon.

He acknowledged that not all Cabinet officials agree on the issue, with some against letting off the officers easily. He refused to give his opinion on the matter.

“These are matters that would be discussed and I believe there would be a strong debate on this. But there is a time to disagree and a time for consensus,” Gonzalez told The STAR.

He, however, said there was nothing wrong with a disagreement within the security cluster (of the Cabinet) even as he stressed that the President listens to everybody.

“There is always an open debate in the Cabinet but I can assure you that the President respects all opinions. She allows everyone to speak freely,” he said. “But when she has already made a decision and says this is our policy, everybody must toe the line. And everybody toes the line.”

Defense Secretary Teodoro said the DND and AFP found sufficient reason for endorsing the grant of pardon to the convicted officers.

“The power of the President under the Constitution to grant executive clemency is absolute once the conditions for the granting pardon are already present,” Teodoro said.

He said the nine Magdalo officers were already convicted of the crime of coup d’etat.

Teodoro said this move is consistent with the President’s holistic approach towards achieving national unity and reconciliation.

“The President is poised to grant amnesty to communist elements and is now getting the concurrence of Congress on the matter. The peace process with separatists in Mindanao is vigorously being pursued. I believe it is equally important in achieving national peace to reach out to these convicted junior officers who have shown remorse for their illegal acts and expressed desire to return to the folds of law,” he said.

Last Friday, the nine convicted rebel soldiers apologized to the public for the so-called Oakwood mutiny and appealed for compassion from the President.

Esperon said that while he believes the officers’ detention during their trial was not enough punishment for what they have done, the Magdalo officers have realized that military adventurism is not the way to achieve reforms.

“You cannot quantify it in terms of years, if that would be enough. It’s hard to say but I believe they have shown remorse, they have said that military adventurism is no way to achieve reforms and changes so we have drawn lessons from that and... we are learning from that so we hope that will be heard by all other officers and men, (that their) act is not something that could be emulated,” he said.

Esperon said the officers were led astray by wrong beliefs but have realized their grave mistakes. “Military adventurism is no way to pursue and achieve reforms. They are very talented soldiers and we would like to give them another chance to help the country move forward,” he said.

Ranking military officials have ruled out the possibility of reinstatement into the AFP for the convicted officers, who could instead apply as military reservists. With James Mananghaya, AP