MANILA, Philippines -- Due to "prior commitments," Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Press Secretary Jesus Dureza failed to appear in the coup d'etat hearing of rebel soldiers charged with mutiny Thursday.

The Palace officials’ representatives, however, told the court during the 9 a.m. hearing that Ermita and Dureza were willing to attend one that was set on January 15.

The accused soldiers had asked Dureza and Ermita to testify on the supposed “Oplan Greenbase,” which they claimed caused the shortlived rebellion at the Oakwood serviced apartments in Makati City in 2003.

The soldiers, in an 11-page motion, said Ermita and Dureza's knowledge of Oplan Greenbase, which allegedly outlined military plans to take over the Liguasan Marsh and Buliok Complex in North Cotabato "for commercial purposes," would support their claim that they did not seize Oakwood to topple the government.