Press Release
June 25, 2007

AS IN HONASANS CASE, GOVT SHOULD ALSO
DISMISS CHARGES AGAINST MUTINOUS SOLDIERS

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Nene Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today challenged President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stop the prosecution of mutinous soldiers who have questioned the legitimacy of her rule after her government dropped the coup d etat charges against Senator-elect Gregorio Gringo Honasan.

Pimentel expressed the hope that the dropping of the cases against Honasan is an initial step taken by the President in carrying out a conciliatory and compassionate policy towards the soldiers who participated in the July 27, 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the Feb. 23, 2006 coup attempt that will lead to their amnesty and release from detention.

The decision of the Department of Justice to drop the charges against Honasan may be a belated realization that they have invented the cases in the first place and therefore, they have no basis to pursue them, he said.

But I believe Honasan should not be treated differently. Whatever charges against his comrades in the military should also be dismissed.

Pimentel said the Presidents renewed call for national unity and reconciliation following the 2007 mid-term election will ring hallow if the armed forces will remain sharply divided due to the administrations apparent policy of vindictiveness towards the soldiers who had attempted to withdraw support from their commander-in-chief.

He noted that the DOJs sudden turnaround on the Honasan case has spawned speculation that there were partisan consideration behind it.

This speculation stemmed from the circumstances that led to the dropping of the charges.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez held that while Honasan might have served as the inspiration of the Oakwood mutiny, he cannot be charged with coup d etat for lack of evidence to prove his direct participation in it.

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