PRESS RELEASE

No.

Releasing Officer:

 

Date

Apr  13, 2008

 

MARINA M. AGUSTIN

 

 

Acting Chief, Office for Public and Legislative Affairs

Office for Public Affairs, Department of National Defense, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City

 

Telephone Nos:  911-3339 / 911-4529

 

Catex: 911-6001 to 12, loc. 8445/8444

     Fax No.: 911-7113

 

DND, AFP favorably recommend granting of executive clemency

 to 9 convicted junior officers

 

  

Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes C. Esperon, Jr. have favorably recommended to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo the granting of executive clemency to nine (9) junior officers convicted of July 2003 coup d’ etat after they apologized to the public and government and appealed for President’s pardon.   

The nine junior officers recommended to be given executive clemency are             Capt. Gerardo Gambala, Capt. Milo Maestrecampo, Capt. John Andres, Capt. Albert Baloloy, Capt Alvin Ebreo, Capt. Lawrence Louis Somera, 1Lt Cleo Donga-as, 1Lt Florentino Somera, Jr. and 2Lt Kristopher Bryan Yasay. 

Secretary Teodoro said the DND and the AFP have found sufficient reasons for endorsing to the President the grant of pardon.  

“The power of the President under the Constitution to grant executive clemency is absolute once the conditions for granting pardon are already present,” Secretary Teodoro said.  

Since there is already a conviction of the crime of coup d’ etat, he said the junior officers are qualified for executive clemency.  

The defense chief also said this move is consistent with the President’s holistic approach towards achieving national unity and reconciliation.   

“The President is poised to grant amnesty to the CPP-NPA elements and is now getting the concurrence of Congress on the matter. The peace process with separatists in Mindanao is vigorously being pursued, I believe it is equally important in achieving national to reach out to these convicted junior officers who have shown remorse for their illegal acts and expressed desire to return to the folds of law,” Secretary Teodoro said.  

For his part, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Esperon cited the junior officers’ plea of guilty and their recent public apology and appeal for President’s forgiveness as grounds to recommend the possible granting of executive clemency. “These junior officers have suffered detention for four (4) years and nine (9) months and have shown remorse for their illegal acts and appealed for President’s,” he said.  

“These junior officers were led astray by wrong beliefs but have realized their grave mistakes. Military adventurism is no way to pursue and achieve reforms. They are very talented soldiers and we would like to give them another chance to help the country move forward,” Gen. Esperon added.