Five more enlisted personnel in the Philippines detained for the aborted February 2006 power grab on Friday were released and dishonorably discharged from the military service.
Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano, Philippine Army commanding general, ordered the five soldiers be discharged, local TV network ABS-CBN News reported.
The soldiers were among the 46 ones detained for their alleged involvement in the aborted February coup last year.
Army command had previously dishonorably discharged 14 other soldiers from the service.
The five soldiers were allegedly involved in the attempt to overthrow the Arroyo government. The soldiers denied the accusation saying they were only following orders from their superiors.
Marines Col. Ariel Querubin, one of the senior officers arrested for the February 2006 failed coup, claimed the soldiers were innocent.
"These Rangers did not do anything wrong. They were incarcerated without investigation last July 2006. It was only last Nov. 9, 2007 that they were questioned," Querubin told the press.
Prior to the soldiers' arrest, military apprehended and detained other ranking officers including former Philippine Marines commandant, Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, former First Scout Ranger Regiment commanding officer.
Aside from the alleged aborted February 2006 coup, Lim also faces rebellion charges for the Nov. 29 standoff staged at a five-star hotel in the country's Makati financial district.
Source: Xinhua
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