MANILA, 19 March 2006 — A Philippine general and several other military officers have to face court-martial proceedings for allegedly plotting to topple President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last month, the head of the army said yesterday.
Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, largely credited for putting down the alleged conspiracy by military and communist rebels, said the rebels have to be treated firmly to discourage similar military “adventurism” in future.
“We have to apply the law. They will have to face the music,” said Esperon, who submitted his recommendations to the chief of staff, Gen. Generoso Senga yesterday.
Esperon said one of those in his list for court-martial is Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, former commander of the elite First Scout Ranger Regiment.
Lim has been under house arrest since Feb. 24, just hours before he planned to lead soldiers to join a street protest calling for Arroyo to step down.
Esperon said 15 other army officers, mostly Scout Rangers, would face court-martial for violations of the military’s Articles of War.
He said the others named by the investigators were mostly in the custody of their unit commanders. “Some of them have even admitted to their participation, some of them have signed affidavits that would implicate others,” said Esperon, adding there was also “documentary evidence” of their guilt.
He said the army inspector general would study the investigators’ recommendations and make further recommendations to the military chief of staff before a decision was reached. Esperon yesterday pinned medals on five soldiers and two police intelligence officers who played key roles in helping thwart the alleged coup plot.
‘Oplan Hackle’
Since January, a total of 59 officers and 37 soldiers have been investigated in connection with the alleged coup after a plot called “Oplan Hackle” was discovered.
Lim, a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, said last week he was not part of any coup, denying reports that he tried to convince General Senga, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief, to withdraw support from Arroyo’s government.
Army investigations showed rogue troops, conspiring with some of Arroyo’s political foes and communist rebels, plotted to set up a civilian-military junta.
United by Arroyo
Media reports have said those linked to the planned uprising as saying the various groups were united by their desire to remove President Arroyo from power for cheating in the 2004 elections.
Tape recordings of illegal wiretaps conducted by military intelligence, which the political opposition made public last year, showed Arroyo calling repeatedly with an election official about her poll victory.
After a long silence, Arroyo admitted calling the official, Virgilio Garcillano, but denied cheating. An impeachment case filed in the House of Representatives was subsequently defeated by Arroyo’s dominant allies on a technicality.
Arroyo critics have said they will revive the case in July when the one-year period allowed by law after the initial impeachment case, would lapse.
Last month’s uprising would have been the culmination of the anti-Arroyo movement’s campaign to topple her when they planned to turn the 20th anniversary celebration of the 1986 EDSA “People Power” revolution into another uprising.
But the military and police got wind of the plan, prompting Arroyo to impose emergency rule for a week until March 3, allowing security forces to crack down on people suspected to be part of the plot, including one retired police general and six leftist lawmakers.
Participants in past coup attempts have been treated lightly, including pushups for troops who repeatedly challenged President Corazon Aquino during her 1986-92 term, reflecting fears that harsh punishment might encourage more splits in the military.
Civilian Authority
Also yesterday, the army chief said that he also met with unit commanders this weekend to stress the need for the military to be apolitical and to respect the supremacy of civilian authority.
The government has said that the coup plotters intended to put up a “transitional council,” that would take over after Arroyo was toppled.
Among the civilians being sought for involvement in the alleged plot is former senator and ex-army colonel Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan who was involved in various coup attempts in the 1980s.
On Thursday, the government offered a five-million-peso ($97,970) bounty for Honasan’s capture and up to three million pesos for six of his associates. (With reports from Agencies)
