Magdalo arrive at Makati RTC under tight security

The mutinous Magdalo soldiers on Tuesday morning arrived at the Makati City Hall of Justice with a phalanx of security personnel for the continuation of their coup d' etat trial. A counsel for the Magdalo soldiers said they expect the court to issue an order allowing relatives and lawyers to visit Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon inside military detention. Lawyer Ruel Pulido told GMA News that the Army leadership has banned visitations for Faeldon. “It is ironic kasi ang Army ang directly ordered by the court the last time na dapat payagan (visitations)," he said. Faeldon is under the custody of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) based in Camp Aguinaldo. Captain Ramon Zagala, National Capital Region Command public information officer, said the number of soldiers deployed during the Tuesday hearing was the same with the previous hearings. Soldiers aboard 20 military trucks and canine units arrived at the Makati City Hall to secure the building perimeter and the the sala of presiding Judge Oscar Pimentel of Makati RTC-Branch 148. Navy, Air Force and the Army personnel began inspecting the building as early as 6 a.m. Soldiers standing guard over the third floor of the old building of the Makati City Hall interrogated and inspected the belongings of people entering the courtroom. AFP officials again sought to ward off members of the media from coming into contact with the Magdalo soldiers. During past hearings, the mutineers were able to slip anti-government messages to reporters covering the hearing and even escape military escorts. Military police later resorted to handcuffing themselves to the accused. The Magdalo soldiers have been charged for the Oakwood mutiny of July 2003.-GMANews.TV