Speed up court-martial, businessmen urge military

Philippine business leaders urged the military yesterday to speed up the trial of soldiers who seized the Makati financial district late last month in a failed mutiny against President Arroyo.

Six prestigious business groups issued a joint statement urging the military to "commence the process which will lead to the court martial of those who are found guilty of violating the Articles of War and the laws of the land."

The Makati Business Club, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Philippine Computer Society, Federation of Philippine Industries, Chinese-Filipino Business Club, and the Bishops-Businessmen’s Conference for Human Development signed the statement.

At least 300 soldiers armed with explosives occupied the center of the business district on July 27 in support of calls for Mrs. Arroyo’s resignation, but the mutiny collapsed in less than 24 hours after failing to rally wider support.

The civilian authorities have already filed separate rebellion charges against 321 officers and men.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Narciso Abaya said Tuesday that military officials are still conducting a preliminary investigation to determine whether court-martial proceedings are warranted.

Mutiny is punishable by life imprisonment under the Articles of War, he added.

Meanwhile, the business groups urged Congress to abort its public hearings on the mutiny to allow an independent commission formed by Mrs. Arroyo to do its work.

"Rather than for the Senate and House (of Representatives) to pursue their own separate investigations... we suggest that Congress consider enacting a law empowering the (independent) Commission to investigate the causes of and to determine the persons responsible for the recent mutiny," the statement said.

Critics have said the parallel investigations by Congress are hampering the criminal probe of the mutiny and are only intended to give the mutinous soldiers a forum to publicly make their accusations. — AFP, Rocel Felix