MANILA, PHILIPPINES: Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has pardoned nine convicted rebel officers who have expressed remorse for their adventurism when they plotted to oust the president in a short-lived mutiny in 2003.

After five years in detention, the nine pleaded guilty to coup charges in civilian court last month.

Army captains Milo Maestrecampo and Gerardo Gambala were sentenced to life imprisonment while seven other junior officers were given 12-year jail terms. They were all stripped of their ranks and barred from re-joining military service. They subsequently made a tearful public apology on national television.

In 2003, the nine officers led about 300 soldiers in taking over a luxury apartment-hotel in Manila’s Makati financial district and calling on Arroyo and her top generals to step down over alleged corruption. Their rebellion was put down in less than 24 hours. (By LIRA DALANGIN-FERNANDEZ/ Philippine Daily Inquirer/ AsiaNews)