2 generals lead list of soldiers up for court martial

Former Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, sacked Army Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR) chief Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Marine Col. Ariel Querubin lead 37 other officers and 125 foot soldiers recommended to undergo pretrial investigation preparatory for court martial in connection with the botched February 24 coup. In a news conference Thursday, Armed Forces Inspector General Rear Admiral Rufino Lopez said retiring military chief Gen. Generoso Senga has approved the ad hoc investigating committee’s recommendations for the said officers and men to be tried for violating provisions of the Articles of War. Apart from Miranda, Lim and Querubin, no other names were disclosed by Lopez, who headed the ad hoc committee. Of the officers, 25 are from the Philippine Army while 15 are from the Philippine Marines. “They were trying to create a scenario similar to EDSA 1. They want to secure the President, the Armed Forces chief and the chief (of the) National Police. It’s not hard to conceal what they were really trying to do," Lopez said. On Wednesday, Senga said the Judge Advocate General’s Office (JAGO) would determine if all officers and men would subsequently be tried under a general court martial. Lopez said the soldiers were deemed to have violated AW 63 (disrespect towards the President), AW 64 (disrespect towards superior officer), AW 67 (mutiny or sedition), AW 68 (failure to report or suppress mutiny or sedition), AW 96 (conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman) and AW 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline). Lopez also recommended that said officers be relieved from their posts and placed under custody of their commanding officers; be charged and tried before the Major Service Efficiency and Separation Board (ESB); and to refer the case to the Justice department for possible filing of criminal charges for violations of Article 134-A (attempted coup d’ etat), Article 36 (conspiracy and proposal to commit coup d’ etat) and Article 142 (inciting to sedition) of the Revised Penal Code. As for the enlisted personnel, Lopez said they “shall undergo further investigation and summary dismissal proceedings at the level of the Philippine Army" and their salaries be put on hold “as approved by the President for those with probable cause pursuant to the provisions of RA 138." Lopez also said officers involved in past coup attempts/destabilization be barred from command of specialized units in the Armed Forces – Special Operations Command (Socom), FSRR, Philippine Marine Corps, Navy Special Operations Group, Special Operations Wing (SPOW), Presidential Security Group (PSG) and Light Armor Brigade – and other training commands and major tactical units. “They shall be likewise barred from occupying sensitive staff positions in the AFP, such as intelligence, operations, and Defense department positions," Lopez said. Lim and Querubin were involved in the bloody 1989 coup against the Arroyo administration. Then only captains, both founded the Young Officers Union (YOU) that provided the muscle to the Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa headed by then Col. Gregorio Honasan. Both were detained but were reinstated after the military rebels forged a peace pact with the government in October 1995. Lim subsequently became the youngest general in the military while Querubin was awarded the Medal of Valor, the highest combat award, for battling secessionist rebels in southern Philippines. Lopez also recommended that officers and men found guilty of participating in destabilization activities “be removed from the military service." Further, he recommended that the AFP drafts policies similar to the provisions of the Whistleblower’s Law and it’s implementing rules and regulations. “This will encourage persons who have knowledge on irregularities or anomalies in the AFP units to come out openly without fear." - GMANews.TV