Philippine military wrapping up February coup probe

The Philippine military is wrapping up its investigation into the allged involvement of 20 Army and Marine officers in the foiled February coup, a spokesman said Wednesday. In a news conference, Armed Forces information chief Col. Tristan Kison said the Armed Forces Inspector General is expected to come out with its recommendation soon on its investigation of the officers led by former First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR) commander Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim. “I heard it will be out soon," Kison told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo. Lim was said to lead officers and men in joining protest actions against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last February 24 and subsequently declare their withdrawal of support from the President. But early that day, authorities got wind of Lim’s plan and promptly relieved him of his post and ordered him restricted to his quarters in Fort Bonifacio. Two days later, Marine Col. Ariel Querubin led a six-hour standoff at the Marine headquarters in Fort Bonifacio in protest over the sudden relief of then Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda. That day, Querubin admitted plans of leading several officers and men in also withdrawing support from the President, who remains hounded by allegations she stole the May 2004 elections. Officials believed the standoff was related to the February24 plot. In April, Army chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon recommended that Lim and 19 other officers be subjected to court martial proceedings over the foiled coup. The Philippine Navy likewise conducted its own investigation on Querubin and other Marine officers suspected of involvement in the uprising. Armed Forces chief Gen. Generoso Senga then tasked AFP Inspector General Rear Admiral Rufino Lopez to evaluate the findings of the Army and the Navy. "The investigation pertaining to the Feb. 24 and Feb. 26 incidents is still ongoing. The IG (inspector general) is still conducting investigation on personalities and finding out the incident behind it," said Kison. On why it seemed the investigation was taking too long, Kison replied: "Not really…because it has been inviting a lot of witnesses and they have been taking the testimonies of these witnesses. I heard it will be out soon…we are trying to come up with the results as soon as possible." Lim, Querubin and their men men face possible charges of violation of the Articles of War 96 (conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman) and AW 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline) before a military court. - GMANews.TV