Reuters Capt. Aung Sin Phyo had been a loyal soldier in the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s military, stationed in Tarlay, a town in eastern Shan state near the borders with Laos and Thailand. When the military ousted the country’s democratically elected government on Feb. 1, Aung Sin Phyo saw it as a power grab by the Tatmadaw’s leaders. After seeing news reports of violent suppression of anti-coup protests, he decided he would defect. He made contact with the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), a shadow parliament group made up of ousted lawmakers, and together with his wife escaped to a confidential location in an area under the control of a rebel army. Washington, D.C.-based RFA Myanmar Service reporter Khin Maung Soe conducted a telephone interview with Aung Sin Phyo, who said he would continue to serve the country he was sworn to protect.