At the Armed Forces change of command ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, the President approved the recommendation of outgoing Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes C. Esperon Jr. on the freedom of the convicted mutineers.

Mrs. Arroyo said this was her "last act" as commander-in-chief of the AFP under Esperon, who was replaced by Lt. Gen. Alexander B. Yano, the outgoing commander of the Philippine Army (PA).

"As my last act as CIC (commander-in-chief) of CSAFP Jun Esperon, before I stood up as we were sitting down, while Alex was still beginning his job as the new CSAFP, my last approval of Gen. Esperon’s recommedation is to approve his recommendation on the Magdalo soldiers," she said.

The President noted that Esperon had endorsed pardon of the military officers after they showed remorse and good behavior. They were convicted and sentenced by a court last month to prison terms of 12 to 40 years.

"You (Esperon) have shown that no one is above the law even as you support and as you have repeated in your address, the support of the pardon of a number of Magdalo officers who have shown remorse and utmost potential for rehabilitation," she said.

The presidential pardon of the rebel soldiers was granted despite warnings from the Catholic Church and other concerned sectors that it would only further encourage military adventurism.

The President reiterated that any destabilization attempt is doomed to fail due to lack of support from the people and the military.

House Speaker Prospero C. Nograles welcomed yesterday the decision of President Arroyo to pardon nine young military officers convicted of committing rebellion during a mutiny against her administration in 2003.

"I welcome the decision of President Arroyo to grant pardon to the nine Magdalo soldiers who were convicted of rebellion in relation to their participation in the short-lived Oakwood mutiny in 2003," Nograles said.