MANILA - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday pardoned nine junior military officers convicted of staging a failed mutiny against her government more than four years ago.
Among those pardoned were Army captains Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrecampo, who were sentenced last month to life in prison for leading the failed mutiny in July 2003.
The seven other officers were among more than 300 soldiers who seized a posh shopping complex in Manila's financial district of Makati to demand the resignation of Arroyo and military officials over corruption allegations.
The nine officers were convicted April 8 by Makati City Judge Oscar Pimentel, six days after they changed their pleas to guilty from not guilty on the charge of coup d'etat.
Dozens of other junior officers who participated in the mutiny, including Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, have maintained their pleas of not guilty, and their trial is continuing.
Arroyo has survived at least three failed military uprisings and three impeachment bids over allegations of corruption and electoral fraud. The 61-year-old economist has denied the charges and vowed to stay in power until her term ends in 2010.
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