More than two dozen Philippine military officers went on trial yesterday for allegedly plotting a coup against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo earlier this year.
Former Marine commandant Major General Renato Miranda and Army Scout Ranger chief Brigadier General Danilo Lim were among nearly 30 officers who could face the death penalty if convicted of involvement in the alleged February plot.
The officers were handcuffed as they were brought into an army courtroom at a camp east of Manila amid tight security.
PHOTO: AFP
The proceedings began with military prosecutors dropping the charges against two of the accused, citing a lack of evidence.
Lieutenant colonels Romulo Gualdrapa and Valentino Hizon were freed and reinstated in the Marines, prosecutors said.
Defense counsels then quickly moved to reset the arraignment of the other officers, saying they needed more time to consult with their clients. The court granted the request and moved the date to Jan. 11.
Nine Marine officers including Miranda and Colonel Ariel Querubin were to be arraigned in court later in the day, along with 19 Army officers led by Scout Ranger chief Lim.
The alleged plot was to have been carried out with communist rebels and other anti-Arroyo groups on the 20th anniversary of the fall of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos on Feb. 24.
However, prosecutor Colonel Pedro Herrera-Davila said that "there is no prima facie case" against Hizon and Gualdrapa.
The decision to drop charges against the two were based on the directive of Armed Forces chief General Hermogenes Esperon, Davila said.
Arroyo's popularity has taken a beating over allegations of vote fraud in 2004. She had apologized for calling an elections officer but denied trying to influence the vote.
She has beaten back two impeachment attempts in Congress in as many years.
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