2 ex-Army officers in mutiny nabbed

Two more retired military officers, who were earlier charged with Sen. Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan for their involvement in the failed 2003 Oakwood mutiny, were arrested in separate raids in Quezon City over the weekend.

The Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP), which took part in the operation, identified those arrested as retired Army colonels Romeo Lazo and Virgilio Briones.

PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr. said the two will be presented to President Arroyo in Malacañang today.

"I was told that they would be presented in Malacañang so details cannot be divulged at this time," Pagdilao said in an interview.

Sources said Lazo was apprehended in Novaliches at around 7:30 a.m. by a joint team of intelligence agents from ISAFP and CIDG.

At around 1 p.m., follow-up operations resulted in the arrest of Briones at a fastfood restaurant in Muñoz, also in Quezon City.

It was not immediately known if Lazo provided information that led to the arrest of Briones.

Both Lazo and Briones had been the subject of arrest warrants issued by a Makati City Regional Trial Court judge for coup d’état charges.

Lazo and Briones, both members of Philippine Guardians Brotherhood Inc. (PGBI) founded by Honasan, each had a P500,000 bounty on their head.

The capture brings to three the number of men arrested for their alleged involvement in the Oakwood mutiny on July 27, 2003.

Former Army colonel and PGBI spokesman Ernesto Macahiya was arrested in a cockpit arena in Sta. Rosa, Laguna last April 28.

Macahiya is now detained at the Makati City jail and is on trial for coup d’état charges.

Honasan has been in hiding since charges were filed against him. He has also been linked to the foiled power grab attempt last Feb. 24, the anniversary of people power.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno had offered a P5-million reward for information that would lead to the arrest of Honasan and six others charged for the Oakwood mutiny.

Still at large are former Navy Capt. Felix Turingan and civilians George Duldulao and Lina Reyes, both members of Honasan’s staff while he was still a senator.