Manila mutineers 'to be released'

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The Philippines government has ordered the early release of 53 military officers involved in a failed mutiny in 2003, the country's army chief says.

Hermogenes Esperon said they were being freed one month early to allow them to spend Christmas with their families.

Some 300 soldiers seized an apartment block in Manila in July 2003 to demand President Gloria Arroyo resign.

Twenty-nine officers, the alleged leaders of the 2003 mutiny, remain in custody facing trial on coup charges.

COUPS AND COUP ATTEMPTS Feb 1986 President Ferdinand Marcos steps down after a coup led by ministers and soldiersAug 1987Rebel officers occupy army headquarters, 53 people killedDec 19896,000 troops stage week-long mutiny, presidential palace bombedJan 2001Gloria Arroyo comes to power after a church-backed revolt against Joseph EstradaJuly 2003 About 300 soldiers occupy a Manila apartment block, surrender after stand-offFeb 2006Failed plot by rebel soldiers to grab power during weekend reunion of military academyNov 2007Small group of soldiers briefly occupies a Manila hotel

Last month some of the leaders, including elected Senator Antonio Trillanes, broke out of a Manila courtroom and briefly occupied a hotel, once again demanding that Ms Arroyo step down.

They surrendered after a few hours and were taken back into custody. They face trial for that coup attempt as well as the 2003 incident.

The 53 officers who are due to be freed were serving four-and-a-half-year sentences after reaching a plea bargain with prosecutors.

General Esperon said: "Rather than have them wait up to 27 January [when they were due to be freed], the president decided to commute that by more than a month so that they could enjoy Christmas with their families."

Analysts say Philippine governments tend to go easy on renegade soldiers to avoid stirring up trouble within the armed forces and the public, who tend to view erring officers as folk heroes.

More than 80 officers and 200 enlisted men were court-martialled for the July 2003 mutiny.