2 Oakwood leaders
get life terms
7 others who also changed plea to guilty meted 12 years in
jail
BY ASHZEL HACHERO
AFTER almost five years of trial, the
Makati City court yesterday sentenced two leaders of the
Oakwood mutiny to life imprisonment and seven other
mutineers to six to 12 years in prison for the crime of
coup d'état.
The nine last week changed their plea
to guilty.
Twenty other officers and two
enlisted personnel are still on trial.
SENATORS yesterday asked the Supreme
Court to reconsider its ruling on the issue of executive
privilege, saying the decision only made the Executive
branch less transparent and weakens government
accountability.
In a 103-page motion for
reconsideration, the respondent Senate committees on
accountability of public officers and investigations (Blue
Ribbon), on trade and commerce, and on national defense
and security said the assailed March 25 decision has
far-reaching emasculating results on other legitimate
inquiries on executive agreements or contracts involving
public funds.
The committees urged the Court to
schedule another oral argument and require former Planning
Secretary Romulo Neri to be present.
PRESIDENT Arroyo yesterday asked the people
not to panic over the rising prices of rice as she said there is
sufficient supply which will be boosted by the upcoming harvest
and the rice imported from Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan.
She acknowledged that the rising prices of
rice are putting a strain on everyone, especially the poor.
She told a meeting of the Cabinet and the
National Anti-Poverty Commission-National Economic and
Development Authority that the government has come up with a
three-phased plan to ensure steady supply, proper distribution,
and tough law enforcement to protect the people against gouging
and corruption.
