by Pesante-USA/AJLPP
Friday, Jul. 07, 2006 at 3:07 PM
magsasakapil@hotmail.com 213-241-0906 337 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026
UPDATE) AT LEAST six military fugitives and a lawyer linked to a group of rebel officers and soldiers that tried to oust President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2003 were arrested Friday, according to reports gathered by Pesante-USA from Philippine news sources.
Military fugitives, lawyer nabbed
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQ7.net, GMA7
Last updated 08:49am (Mla time) 07/07/2006
(
UPDATE) AT LEAST six military fugitives and a lawyer linked to a group of rebel officers and soldiers that tried to oust President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2003 were arrested Friday, according to reports culled by INQ7.net.
Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Calderon and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said in separate statements that the fugitives were arrested by joint operatives of the Philippine Army and the PNP”s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) at about 5 a.m. in a house in Filinvest, Quezon City.
GMA Network’s “Unang Hirit” and Ermita identified the officers as Captain Nathaniel Rabonza, Army First Lieutenants Patricio Bumidang Jr., and Sonny Sarmiento; Army Second Lieutenants Aldrin Baldonado and Angelbert Gay; and a certain Lieutenant Colonel Sadada; and lawyer Christopher Belmonte.
They will be presented to media later in the day, Calderon said in an interview over “Unang Hirit.”
Calderon said some of those arrested were being attended to by doctors and nurses after they were injured when they tried to escape.
Calderon said the operation was based on police and military intelligence information.
Calderon also said that the arrests were a good start for him as PNP chief. He assumed the post Wednesday.
At the same time, Calderon urged those who remained dissatisfied with the present government to come out and talk to them so that their concerns could be addressed.
The six military fugitives are members of the Magdalo Group, which staged a shortlived rebellion on July 27, 2003 when they laid siege at the posh Oakwood Apartments in Makati City to demand the ouster of Arroyo and military and defense over allegations of corruption.
Most of the alleged leaders of that mutiny are under detention and have been charged before civilian and military courts while the soldiers who joined them have since returned to their respective units after being meted lighter penalties.