Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Military chief vows fair action on Barbieto case
ARMED Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said he would act fairly on the recommendation of Army investigators to try Major General Jose Barbieto and one of his men by a general court martial.
Esperon said his being the classmate of Barbieto, the relieved commander of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division based in Cagayan de Oro City, in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1974 will not matter in making the decision.
Esperon noted that he ordered court martial against former Marine commandant Renato Miranda, also his PMA classmate, for his alleged involvement in the attempt to overthrow the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Miranda, along with then First Scout Ranger chief Brigadier General Danilo Lim, allegedly planned to lead their men in a march at the Edsa Shrine in February 2006 and subsequently withdraw their support from the President.
Miranda, Lim and 26 other Marines and Army officers implicated in the plot are detained and facing various military offenses, including mutiny and conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman, among others.
“You don’t have to say that,” said Esperon on whether his being classmate of Barbieto will be a factor in making the decision. “Our being mistahs (classmates) will not matter,” he said of Barbieto who is restricted at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio.
“You just remember that General Miranda is my classmate. So it has nothing to do with being classmates, you just remember that General Miranda is my classmate,” the military chief also said in stressing that his ties with Barbieto will not be a factor in acting on the recommendation.
Barbieto and Staff Sergeant Roseller Echipare were recommended by Army investigators for trial by a court martial for allegedly asking P25,000 to P30,000 from people in exchange for their enlistment in the Army in Northern Mindanao.
Investigators recommended that the two be tried for violation of Articles of War (AW) 55 (making unlawful enlistment) and AW 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline). Barbieto was recommended for trial also for violation of AW 96 or conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.
The military chief said he will act on the recommendation of the Army investigators as soon as he can.
However, he said the recommendation would have to be reviewed by cognizant staff before he makes a decision on the matter.
Incidentally, Esperon is scheduled to retire from the military service on May 9 after a three-month extension of his term given by President Arroyo. He will be replaced by Army Chief Alexander Yano, who ordered the initial investigation on Barbieto.
“I will let the staff do their work and I’ll just act on it (recommendation of the Army). Of course, it’s going to be soon given the advice by the cognizant staff, as soon as it gets back to me,” he said.
If Esperon approves the conduct of court martial, Barbieto would be the second major general who will be tried by a military court on a corruption charge. The first was former military comptroller Major General Carlos Garcia.
Garcia was convicted by the military tribunal in December 2005 for conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman and conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline. He had been ordered dishonorably discharged from the service. (VR/Sunnex)
