Marines in failed coup transferred to naval base

Six of the 13 Marine officers facing court martial trial for their alleged involvement in the failed Feb. 24 coup were transferred to a navy detention facility in Cavite City at dawn yesterday.

Under heavy military escort, Cols. Ariel Querubin, Orlando de Leon, January Caringal, Lt. Cols. Armando Banes, Custodio Parcon and Achilles Sigumailan were taken out of the Marine Custodian Center and moved to the Fort San Felipe naval detention facility in Cavite.

Navy spokesman Commander Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said the transfer was in line with a directive by Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon to find a more secure detention facility for the accused.

Acting Navy chief Rear Admiral Rufino Lopez, who was head of the military’s fact-finding panel on the failed military uprising, executed Esperon’s order early yesterday. Navy chief Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga is on an official visit to Hawaii.

The transfer, sources claimed, was carried out in a highly discreet manner. Even the accused Marine officers were not notified in advance about their transfer to Cavite.

"Nagulat lahat, pati sina Col. Querubin, dahil sa biglaang ginawang paglilipat sa kanila," a source said, adding that the six initially questioned their unscheduled transfer, but were prevailed upon by their military escorts.

Esperon earlier directed Mayuga to implement stricter secure measures following reports that certain groups were planning to spring out the six from the detention center.

Last week, Mayuga ordered the six officers transferred to the Marine custodial center, where leaders of the Magdalo Group led by LtSg. Antonio Trillanes IV, are likewise detained.

The six, along with seven other Marines officers implicated in the failed Feb. 24 power grab, had been under restriction at the Naval Officers Quarters, several meters from the Marines custodial center. All are all located inside Marine headquarters at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Querubin, along with his former commander, ex-Marine Commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, and former Scout Ranger chief Brig. Gen. Danilo, allegedly conspired with several civilians to topple the government.

The oust-Arroyo plot, which was to take place on Feb. 24, the 20th anniversary of people power , was foiled following Lim’s arrest and the subsequent declaration of Presidential Decree 1017 by President Arroyo, placing the entire country under the state of national emergency.