Esperon bares coup plotters’ plans to harm him and his family

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. defended his decision overruling the recommendation of a military investigation panel to drop major charges against military officers linked to the failed coup on Feb. 24, 2006.

Esperon bared yesterday that coup plotters against the administration of President Arroyo have also considered him a threat and planned to harm him and the members of his family for supporting the government.

"They wanted to harm me and my family," Esperon said, referring to the coup plotters’ plan.

Esperon officially admitted that the military’s pre-trial investigation panel headed by Col. Al Perreras, deputy chief of the AFP Judge Advocate General’s Office (JAGO), recommended the dismissal of the mutiny charges filed against the accused officers. However, Esperon said it is within his powers to reverse the findings.

"It’s my prerogative," said Esperon of his plans against the coup plotters while expressing willingness to argue and defend his decision before the court.

Esperon said the probe panel recommended the dismissal of the mutiny charges but with accompanying advice for the filing of violations of Articles of War Nos. 96 and 97 for conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman and conduct prejudicial to the service against 10 officers, led by the Army’s First Scout Ranger Regiment former chief, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, and Marine Col. Ariel Querubin.

The two charges are lighter offenses than mutiny which carries the penalty of death.

Esperon maintained that the panel’s report is only one of the bases to order the trial of the 28 Scout Rangers and nine Marine officers for mutiny on top of other military violations. The other document is the Pre-Trial Advise (PTA) of his legal adviser, he said.

Thirty-eight officers have been investigated by the Perreras panel in connection with last year’s failed coup, but only 28 face charges.

The Perreras panel, in recommending the dismissal of the mutiny case, reported to Esperon that the evidence presented failed to establish probable cause to warrant the filing of the mutiny charges against the 10 officers.

Instead of heeding the pre-trial report, Esperon summoned his legal adviser who submitted the PTA, recommending the filing of the mutiny charges as well as other violations of military laws.

"The (defense) lawyers will make a lot of noise. The pre-trial report is an internal matter and so with the PTA. These are the two references that I used to arrive at a decision as to who will be charged," he said.

Esperon advised defense lawyers not to argue their case outside of the military court and instead told them to bring up the matter before the military court where the AFP leadership would defend its action.

"Well, they can argue and argue, but that’s their (defense lawyers’) role so let us argue that in court," he said.

Lawyer Trixie Angeles, civilian counsel of one of the accused, said she would file a motion to force Esperon to provide them with the copy of the PTA report in the next hearing which was tentatively moved to March 27 from March 16.

"Just like the pre-trial investigation report, we are entitled to this PTA report. We need to know his basis for ordering the trial," she said.

Furnished with the PTA yesterday by the Trial Judge Advocate General (TJAG), Angeles said the recommendation of the pre-trial panel was enough proof to dismiss the charges against the accused.

The pre-trial investigation report obtained by Angeles was the same documents earlier leaked to the media. The only difference was that the Angeles pre-trial probe report was marked official.

Meanwhile, Capt. Dante Langkit, one of the 28 accused officers, is being detained separately for his own security.

Langkit was earlier reported to have been ordered detained in Tanay together with the Scout Rangers and Marine officers headed by former Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and Lim, who is still detained at the Fort Bonifacio’s Philippine Army Custodial Management Unit (CMU).

"It’s for his own security," Esperon said, citing reports that some of the Tanay detainees are reportedly planning to harm Langkit.

Langkit is running for the congressional seat in his home province of Kalinga. In a letter hand-carried by his twin-brother Danzel the other day, Langkit apologized to Esperon for all his actions.

Langkit once served as Esperon’s aide. He also asked from the AFP leadership to grant him a pass for him to be able to campaign in Kalinga.