Magdalo soldiers ask court: Why are we jailed and Honasan is free?

Senator Gregorio Honasan. INQUIRER/RICHARD REYES

Refusing the government’s offer of amnesty, two Magdalo soldiers have asked a Makati court to rule on the coup charges filed against them for their alleged roles in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny.

In a 26-page memorandum, First Lieutenants Lawrence San Juan and Rex C. Bolo asked the Makati Regional Trial Court to acquit them of the charge of committing coup d’etat. At the same time, they questioned why the plot’s alleged mastermind, Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan, was cleared early on while the case against them was continued.

“It is most respectfully prayed that judgement be rendered acquitting (San Juan and Bolo) of the crime of coup d’etat for the failure of the prosecution to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt,” their memo said.

San Juan and Bolo are the two remaining accused in the case which initially had 321 respondents in August 2003.

The charges against 290 respondents were dismissed while another group pleaded guilty in 2008. The rest of the accused accepted the amnesty offer made by President Aquino in October 2010. Philip C. Tubeza