9 pardoned Magdalo men released from detention

MANILA, Philippines - The nine Magdalo soldiers granted conditional pardon by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo were released from detention shortly after noon Friday, the spokesman for the Philippine Army said. In a statement, Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner said the release of the Army officers was based on General Orders No. 10 signed by President Arroyo. Those released from their detention cells at Fort Bonifacio were Captains Gerardo Gambala, Milo Maestrecampo, Albert Baloloy, John Andres, Alvin Ebreo and Laurence Luis Somera, First Lieutenants Florentino Somera and Cleo Donga-as, and 2nd Lieutenant Bryan Yasay. Brawner said the nine were received by their legal counsel, Elaine Rombaoa. On Thursday, the nine signed a joint sworn acceptance of conditional pardon, indicating that they agree to the conditions set for their pardon: (a) That each of them shall be permanently and perpetually disqualified from rendering military service; and (b) That each of them shall not commit any crime or felony or participate in a coup d’ etat or other forms of military adventurism. The Army statement said the nine Magdalo soldiers express their sincerest gratitude to President Arroyo "for her magnanimous act of executive clemency." On Monday, the President announced she was granting pardon to the nine officers upon the recommendation of Defense chief Gilbert Teodoro and then retiring Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon. Brawner said the AFP will be offering a seminar to the nine Magdalo soldiers "to prepare them for their transition back into the mainstream of society." Sorry On April 11, Gambala spoke on behalf of the nine Magdalo officers, appealing for presidential pardon after a court convicted them on charges of coup d' etat. "We know in our hearts that we are guilty and we accept the verdict of the court. We undoubtedly made a mistake. We apologize to the people... We ask for forgiveness for our rebellion," Gambala said during a press conference at the Army headquarters that day. "I am applying for pardon... We are applying for pardon. What I can do is ask for mercy from (the) authorities and God. The verdict is hard but we have to accept it... If they will give me pardon, I will accept it," he said. On April 8, the Makati Regional Trial Court sentenced Gambala and Maestrecampo to reclusion perpetua or 20 to 40 years imprisonment. On the other hand, Ebreo, Laurence Louis Somera, Baloloy, Andres, 1Lt. Florentino Somera, Yasay and Dongga were sentenced to prision mayor or six to 12 years in jail. The court verdict came a week after they entered a guilty plea, changing their original "not guilty" plea when they were first arraigned for the crime of coup d' etat. - GMANews.TV