More rebel changes guilty plea

More rebel changes guilty plea

PHILIPPINES: A man who had said he was guilty of murder in connection with near-simultaneous bombings that killed 22 people about three years ago withdrew his plea on Tuesday, saying he was coerced by the military and did not understand the language used in the proceedings.

Saifullah Yunos, also known as Moklis Yunos, said in a motion filed by his lawyer that he "did not mean to admit" the accusations against him because he could not understand the Tagalog and English language translations of the charges.

A self-confessed member of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front arrested in May, Yunos said he speaks and understands only Arabic and Maranao, one of the Muslim languages in the southern Philippines. Tagalog is the dominant language in the Philippines.

Despite his plea, the judge announced he will still hold a trial because of the gravity of the multiple murder charges, which carry the death penalty. --AP