General Order No. 9, s. 2007

Signed on December 18, 2007

MALACAÑANG

MANILA

GENERAL ORDER NO. 9

GRANTING EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY TO FIFTY-THREE OFFICERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES WHO PLEADED GUILTY AND WERE CONVICTED OF VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 97 OF THE ARTICLES OF WAR (CONDUCT PREJUDICIAL TO GOOD ORDER AND MILITARY DISCIPLINE) FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE 27 JULY 2003 FAILED MUTINY

WHEREAS, the State recognizes that the attainment of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace under the rule of law is the key to economic development and national prosperity;

WHEREAS, certain junior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were misguided and influenced by their senior officers to participate in the failed mutiny on 27 July 2003 in Makati City;

WHEREAS, in their prosecution for five serious military offenses, some of the junior officers plea-bargained and pleaded guilty to violation of Article 97 of the Articles of War, i.e., Conduct Prejudicial to Good Order and Military Discipline, for their minor participation in the said incident; 1uplaw08

WHEREAS, the General Court-Martial No. 1 accepted their plea bargain and convicted them of the said offense, sentencing them to confinement for a period of seven years and six months and to dishonorable discharge from the military service;

WHEREAS, the General Court-Martial further granted them credit of three years for three mitigating circumstances and for time served since 28 July 2003 when they were deprived of their liberty; thus, the 54 convicted officers shall have fully served their confinement sentence at noon of 27 January 2008;

WHEREAS, these young officers, whether their actions were legitimate or not, had simply been motivated by their patriotism and had no selfish intent to personally profit from their conduct, and hence, have expressed deep remorse for their misdeeds and errors of judgment in imprudently participating in that regrettable incident, accepted the court-martial’s verdict, and now plead for executive clemency and to be permitted to remain in active military service;

WHEREAS, the President has the absolute discretion and plenary power to grant executive clemency, pursuant to Section 19, Article VII of the Constitution;

WHEREAS, also under Article 49 of the Article of War, the President may remit or mitigate the whole or any part of the sentence adjudged by a court-martial;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the land as President of the Republic of the Philippines and Commander-in-Chief of all the armed forces of the Philippines, do hereby order:

The original sentence, consisting of confinement for a period of seven years and six months and dishonorable discharge, of the following convicted officers is hereby remitted to confinement until the date of the issuance of this Order and discharge from the military service without prejudice to separation benefits:

1.              1LT JEFFREY A. CAUGUIRAN O-12238 PA

2.              1LT JOSE ENRICO M. DINGLE O-12248 PA

3.              1LT JULIUS R. NAVALES O-12654 PA

4.              1LT EMERSON L. MARGATE O-12676 PA

5.              2LT LAUREFEL P. GABALES O-13088 PA

6.              2LT REGINO S. ORTEZA O-13128 PA

7.              2LT JEOFFREY C. TACIO O-1137 PA

8.              2LT ARCHIBALD S. RANIEL O-13194 PA

9.              2LT NOEL F. TOMONGLAY O-13215 PA

10.           2LT NESTOR JASON V. CAMBA JR. O-13221 PA

11.           2LT RYAN H. QUISAI O-13272 PA  IEHSDA

12.           2LT WARY JAMES A. TAYABAN O-13529 PA

13.           LTSG NORBERTO E. SANTIAGO JR. O-11974 PN

14.           LTJG RONALD A. GALICIA O-12354 PN

15.           LTJG MARCO ANGELO J. ANCHETA O-12427 PN

16.           LTJG CEFERINO M. CHECA III O-12841 PN

17.           1LT JONATHAN P. COSTALES O-12897 PN (M)

18.           ENS JUVENAL B. AZURIN O-13121 PN

19.           ENS REX P. CALANO O-13123 PN

20.           ENS ELMER D. CRUZ O-13165 PN

21.           ENS EMERSON R. ROSALES O-13177 PN

22.           ENS JONATHAN JAY J. ADLAWAN O-13270 PN

23.           ENS JONAH A. ARUGAY O-13274 PN

24.           ENS JEFFREY A. BANGSA O-13285 PN

25.           ENS CESAR CARMEL P. TAMBA O-13358 PN

26.           ENS JEFFREY SAMUEL A. DAQUILANEA O-14377 PN

27.           ENS LYLE G. ROSOS O-13499 PN

28.           ENS BRYAN B. BABANG O-13507 PN

29.           ENS ARJOHN B. ELUMBA O-13519 PN

30.           ENS RONALD E. DISO O-13627 PN

31.           ENS IAN LUIS D. BADECAO III O-13689 PN

32.           ENS VICTOR S. ODULIO O-13727 PN

33.           1LT RONALD ALLAN D.G. RICARDO O-13277 PN (M)

34.           2LT DANNY C. CAÑAVERAL O-131390 PN (M)

35.           2LT FILMORE G. RULL O-13237 PN (M)

36.           2LT OSWALD IAN B. DIRA O-13351 PN (M)

37.           2LT SAMSUDIN T. LINTONGAN O-13732 PN (M)

38.           2LT LEOPOLDO D.G. APILLANES JR. O-13746 PN (M)

39.           2LT MARK P. DAMASO O-135565 PN (M)

40.           2LT GIOVANNI M. PALLAN O-135569 PN (M)

41.           2LT EDGARDO R. AGUILAR O-135570 PN (M)

42.           2LT NORMAN SPENCER O. LO O-13817 PN (M)

43.           2LT LARRY C. CENDAÑA O-13831 PN (M)

44.           2LT HAVELINO A. SALIH O-13853 PN (M)

45.           2LT LEXINGTON V. ALONZO O-13884 PN (M)

46.           1LT WILFREDO D. CAMACHO O-12902 PAF

47.           2LT MARK DENNIS C. DERECHO O-13181 PAF

48.           2LT CHARLESTON M. TAN O-13297 PAF

49.           2LT ARCHIE A. GRANDE O-13354 PAF

50.           2LT JEVEEHBOY N. MACARUBBO O-13431 PAF

51.           2LT JOEL B. PLAZA O-13501 PAF

52.           2LT ADRIAN G. ALVARIÑO O-13508 PAF

53.           2LT JIGGER B. MONTALLANA O-13680 PAF

DONE in the City of Manila, this 18th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Seven.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

By the President:

(SGD.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA

Executive Secretary