Eight junior military officers detained for both the Oakwood mutiny and the Manila Peninsula siege were released on Monday night after posting bail before a Makati City court.

They are Navy Lieutenant (senior grade) Eugene Gonzales, Andy Torrato, Manuel Cabochan; Air Force Captain Segundino Orfiano; Navy Lieutenant (junior grade) Arturo Pascua, Jr., Navy Ensign (equivalent to 2nd lieutenant) Armand Pontejos; Air Force 1Lt. Billy Pascua and Marines 2Lt. Jonel Sangalang. They have been detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Two others, Marine Captain Gary Alejano and Navy Lieutenant (senior grade) James Layug, were already freed on Sunday from their detention cell at the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) in the nearby Camp Aguinaldo.

Chief Superintendent Rommel Heredia, director of the Philippine National Police-Headquarters Support Service, said they immediately processed the release of the eight after receiving three release orders from the lawyers of the junior officers.

"They have now release orders in all three cases against them," said Heredia.

Heredia is referring to a coup d'etat case filed against Magdalo soldiers in connection with the Oakwood mutiny in July 27, 2003 before the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 148, a case of rebellion with regard the Manila Peninsula Hotel siege in November 2007 before the Makati City RTC Branch 150, and the four court martial charges leveled against them in connection with the latter.

The two civilian courts have already allowed the accused Magdalo soldiers to post bail while the release order for the court martial charges was only signed by General Delfin Bangit, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), on Sunday.

The military release order was an offshoot of the conviction of the 10 Magdalo soldiers on the four court martial charges after they pleaded guilty on the cases. They were sentenced to eight months of detention and discharged from the service.

The eight did not immediately post bail, noting that they will still be detained since the four court martial charges leveled against them were not resolved then. Posting bail is not being recognized under military law.