9 anti-Arroyo coup leaders apply for amnesty

MANILA, Philippines -  Nine military and civilian leaders of a series of attempts to topple the Arroyo administration applied for amnesty at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.

Retired Marine commandant, major general Renato Miranda; retired Scout Ranger commander brigadier general Danilo Lim; retired colonel Alan Paje; former Scout Ranger colonel Rafael Galvez; former colonel Jake Malajacan and his brother, Jason; lawyer Christopher Belmonte; Jose Araneta Albert; and Jaime Reglario presented themselves before the defense amnesty ad hoc committee at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday afternoon and signified their intention to avail themselves of the amnesty offered by the Aquino administration.

Miranda, who now heads the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ anti-illegal logging task force, said the anomalies in the military that surfaced after the Arroyo administration vindicated their actions.

There are reports that Lim may accept a government position that Malacañang allegedly offered him. He vowed to avail himself of the benefits of the amnesty in order to pursue his advocacy to make the Arroyo administration accountable for its alleged crimes.

“There will be no letup against an old power that is unwilling to surrender political influence to thwart our efforts toward change. The same goes to aspiring plunderers and corrupt public officials. With or without the amnesty, no quarters will be given against the enemies of meaningful change,” Lim said.