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Philippines to prosecute more civilians for failed mutiny
MANILA (AFP) Aug 07, 2003
Philippines authorities plan to prosecute more civilian conspirators of an alleged coup attempt against President Gloria Arroyo, an interior department official said Thursday.

The department is to lodge a rebellion complaint before state prosecutors later Thursday against some civilians "who organized the people who are supposed to have gone to the coup site," Undersecretary Agnes Devanadera said on ABS-CBN television.

The Philippines' judicial system requires the state prosecutors to investigate criminal complaints and decide based on the evidence presented by both the complainant as well as the suspect whether to take the case to court.

More than 300 soldiers and a former member of the cabinet of detained former president Joseph Estrada have been detained and charged with rebellion over the brief takeover by rebel soldiers on July 27 of a section of the Makati financial district.

The military's inspector-general has also recommended separate court-martial proceedings against 45 of the military officers involved in the siege.

The mutiny swiftly fizzled out after failing to rally wider support, but the government maintains it was part of a larger plot allegedly led by opposition Senator Gregorio Honasan to unseat and possibly assassinate President Arroyo and replace her with a 15-member junta.

Devanadera refused to identify the other suspects, saying only that "these are names that have cropped up even before."

Honasan, who has gone in hiding, has yet to be charged. The crime of coup d'etat is punishable by life imprisonment.

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