Officers linked to February coup plot face court-martial

Officers implicated in an alleged coup plot against President Arroyo are likely to face court-martial, military sources disclosed yesterday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Inspector-General Rear Admiral Rufino Lopez will make his final recommendations before July 21, according to officials who investigated the activities of at least 21 Army and Marine officers in February.

Mrs. Arroyo purged the military brass and filed charges of rebellion and coup d’état against a number of opposition political figures in February after accusing the officers and politicians of plotting with the communist New People’s Army (NPA) to topple her.

The highest-ranking officer to be purged was Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, who was sacked from his post as commander of the Army’s elite First Scout Ranger Regiment.

"Our report will definitely include recommendations for disciplinary actions," said one source.

It would call for their prosecution either through a "court-martial or civilian court," the source added but refused to identify those to be charged.

The source said the report "will definitely include recommendations for disciplinary actions, either a trial before separation or efficiency board, general court-martial, or civilian court."

Another source revealed the report "will come out before (AFP chief) General (Generoso) Senga retires" on July 5.

The Army inspector-general had earlier recommended the trial of Lim and 19 other officers before a military court.

Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, who was also implicated in the Feb. 24 coup with Lim, is facing a separate investigation for leading a standoff at Marine headquarters at Fort Bonifacio last Feb. 26.

Querubin has been relieved as commander of a Marine contingent in Mindanao and confined to quarters at the AFP headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo under heavy guard.

Lim, who is restricted to quarters at Fort Bonifacio for his alleged role in the failed coup, denied the charges.

Officials allege Lim had planned to lead his men from Bulacan to join anti-government demonstrations in Manila, where he planned to announce his withdrawal of support from Mrs. Arroyo to signal the supposed takeover.

Lim himself tried to convince Senga to join the plan to stage a bloodless takeover.

As reportedly planned, Lim would march his Scout Rangers soldiers to EDSA where they would be also joined by Marines led by Querubin.

However, the plot was foiled after Senga broke the news of the coup attempt before dawn on Feb. 24. He also announced that he had ordered Lim be taken into custody.

AFP spokesman Colonel Tristan Kison meanwhile declined to comment on the statement by the sources.

"There is no timeline, but they are working to finish the investigation as soon as possible," Kison told reporters. — AFP, Jaime Laude