Esperon OKs court martial vs general, aide

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine military chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon has approved the conduct of court martial proceedings against an Army general and his subordinate accused of extorting fees from candidate-soldiers. But military information chief Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said the proceedings against Maj. Gen. Jose Barbieto and Sgt. Roseller Echipare will be conducted by a Philippine Army court since the general court martial at Camp Aguinaldo are preoccupied with other cases. At present, the military is trying the cases against 28 Army and Marine officers in connection with the botched February 2006 coup as well as the remaining Magdalo officers involved in the July 2003 mutiny. Barbieto is a classmate of Esperon at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City. Both are members of PMA class 1974. Barbieto was earlier relieved as commander of the 4th Infantry Division based in Cagayan de Oro City. He stands accused of violating the following provisions in the Articles of War: AW 55 (officer making unlawful enlistment), AW 96 (conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman), and AW 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline). On the other hand, Echipare also stands accused of the similar provisions except that of AW 96. Both are currently confined and restricted to quarters at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City under the custody of Brig. Gen. Ricardo Morales, the headquarters' camp commander. - GMANews.TV