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Sunday, March 19, 2006
Military chief issues guidance vs partisan politics
MANILA -- The Philippine military chief of staff warned his troops Saturday they have no constitutional "license" to seize power and should not allow themselves to be used for the "vested interests" of politicians.
The warnings were contained in a 5-point "guidance" from General Generoso Senga following an alleged foiled coup attempt against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last month and relayed to army commanders Saturday by army chief Lieutenant General Hermogenes Esperon.
Esperon said 59 army officers and 37 enlisted personnel have been investigated since January in connection with the coup plot. He said he recommended some of the soldiers to face trial for violating the Articles of War, but refused to say how many or who will be charged.
"We are over the hump," Esperon told reporters. "We have sealed the cracks. We have neutralized some probable plans, but we are not letting our guards down."
The Philippine Army has recommended to higher headquarters the military prosecution of Brigadier General Danilo Lim, sacked commander of the First Scout Ranger Regiment, in connection with the aborted coup last month.
Esperon said several others as recommended by Army Inspector General Major General Ferdinand Bocobo will be further investigated or will be included, along with Lim for infractions of the Articles of War.
A military source said apart from Lim, 14 other officers were recommended for court martial.
Lim and the unidentified 14 officers, mostly from the elite Scout Ranger unit, were among the 59 officers and 37 enlisted men investigated since January for their alleged involvement in the failed power grab.
"I have already signed the recommendation of the Army Inspector General and submitted this to the AFP chief through The Inspector General this morning (yesterday) for further evaluation and approval," Esperon told reporters.
"Yes... Brigadier General Danilo Lim is actually on the list. We believe there is probable cause for him to have violated some Articles of War," Esperon added.
Except for Lim, whom Esperon said was recommended to be tried for violations of Article of War 67 (inciting to mutiny) and 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline), the Army chief declined to divulge the identities of the other officers recommended either to be further investigated or face court martial along with Lim.
"So as not to jeopardize the persons involved, until such time that their names are revealed by the chief of staff, we will not announce numbers nor names... but rest assured, that we have been very thorough about the investigation and the recommendation," Esperon said.
Esperon was silent on what awaits the 37 enlisted personnel included in the investigation.
Arroyo declared a weeklong state of emergency on Feb. 24 to thwart the alleged coup conspiracy involving communist rebels, military "adventurists" and opposition politicians. She warned she would re-impose the emergency if the threats against her persist.
Esperon said Senga's directives, contained in the document, "The Role of the Armed Forces in These Trying Times," called for "strict adherence to the supremacy of civilian authority" over the military.
It said that the constitutional provision mandating the military as the protector of the people and the state "is not a license to wrest leadership of the government from public officials on the basis of perceived imperfections of governance."
It reminded soldiers they "do not enjoy unrestrained license to engage in partisan politics" or to speak publicly against the government. Individual rights of soldiers also may be curtailed "in order to maintain discipline in our ranks."
"We are not to be regarded as a potent political force to be used by politicians in the furtherance of their vested interests. As mandated, we must remain apolitical," Esperon said, quoting Senga.
The government claims last month's coup plot involved the withdrawal of support for Arroyo by some military officers, including Lim, who was also involved in a coup attempt in 1989, and is under house arrest.
The former Philippine marine commandant, Major General Renato Miranda, and several other military and police officers also have been relieved of their posts on suspicion they were involved in the foiled coup.
The government said the plot also had the alleged backing of at least six left-wing congressmen, including former labor leader Crispin Beltran, who has been arrested and charged with rebellion.
Representative Satur Ocampo, president of the largest left-wing party, Bayan Muna, and four other congressmen are holed up at the House of Representatives to avoid being arrested without warrants. (AP/Sunnex)
(March 19, 2006 issue)
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