Army orders discharge of 26 mutinous soldiers

The Philippine Army has ordered the dishonorable discharge of 26 soldiers who took part in a failed coup in February 2006, a military spokesman said yesterday.

Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres said the dismissed soldiers, who will be released from detention this week, were part of a 40-member Army Scout Rangers unit that left their camp in Bicol and tried to join a group of rebel troops that were allegedly preparing to stage a coup in Metro Manila.

Torres said a decision to discharge them was made a year ago, but the implementation had been delayed to allow a review.

“We found out there are no more reasons to delay the implementation of an administrative decision to discharge them dishonorably,” he said.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano approved the dishonorable discharge from the service of the 26 soldiers after the recommendation was made last year by the Army Inspector General (IG) and endorsed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Inspector General that investigated the February 2006 failed coup d’etat.

Vicente Verdadero, a lawyer of the 26 soldiers, protested the decision to dismiss his clients, saying there were no formal charges brought against them. – With AP, AFP