Military court junks motion to absolve 17 coup plotters
Posted at abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/27/2009 4:04 PM
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MANILA – A military tribunal on Tuesday junked a motion to declare innocent 17 officers accused of mutiny and involvement in a February 2006 coup plot against President Arroyo.
The court did not explain or give their reasons for the ruling, saying it is contained in a lengthy position paper which will be provided to the accused and their lawyers.
The decision dismayed and saddened the families of the accused who came early and expected positive results.
According to Danzel Langkit, brother of accused Capt. Dante Langkit, it is possible that there is an unseen hand who wants the accused to remain in jail. Out of the 17 officers, three are running for various posts in the 2010 elections including Gen. Danny Lim, Col. Ariel Querubin and Langkit.
Military prosecutors earlier asked a military tribunal to be allowed to present additional evidence against 11 officers who had been cleared of mutiny charges in connection with the alleged February 2006 coup plot.
Col. Jose Feliciano Loy said that if approved by the general court martial, their motion would invalidate the October 15 ruling of the tribunal exonerating the 11 officers led by Marine Col. Januario Caringal and Army Lt. Col. Edmundo Malabanjot and Nestor Flordeliza.
The court cleared the 11 officers because they were not mentioned in the documentary evidence presented by the prosecution and in the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses. The ruling was handed down after the prosecution rested its case.
Loy, who heads the prosecution panel, said the motion was filed last Friday before the military court presided by Maj. Gen. Jogy Leo Fojas. He said the court will deliberate on the motion during today’s resumption of the hearing.
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Michael Waddington is a court martial lawyer – court martial attorney that defends military personnel worldwide as well as deployed civilian contractors subject to the UCMJ. He defends Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard, and civilian contractor court martial cases. He has successfully defended military personnel as a court martial lawyer Army Navy Marine & Air Force court martials in Germany, England, San Diego, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fort Bragg, Fort Jackson, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Italy, Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Yokota, and throughout the United States.
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