Biazon seeks review of soldiers’ discharge

Sen. Rodolfo Biazon sought yesterday to review the military’s decision to discharge from the service some of the soldiers allegedly involved in the coup attempt in February last year.

Biazon, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense and security, stressed the need to re-evaluate the decision of Army chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano to discharge 26 of the 40 elite Army Scout Ranger soldiers implicated in the coup attempt.

The soldiers were detained at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal following their involvement.

“What I am looking into are policies and how these policies were implemented. I think there were shortcomings on the proceedings mandated by Circular No. 17, which was promulgated by (then chief of staff) Gen. (Fidel) Ramos. We should abide by that procedure,” Biazon said.

Biazon said he wanted to know if the soldiers’ discharge orders were administrative or dishonorable under the procedures spelled out by the circular of the Department of National Defense (DND).

“It is required that this (manner of discharge) undergo the prescribed processes including the conduct of an investigation and evaluation of the conduct of the investigation,” Biazon said.

Biazon earlier urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to provide necessary medical help to the military officers detained at Army headquarters at Camp Capinpin.– With Jaime Laude

Biazon called on Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro to address the plight of the 40 soldiers and the 28 officers who have been detained inside the Tanay camp for about a year now.

Biazon said the detained soldiers complained they were incarcerated without being investigated.

The detained soldiers were accused of involvement in the failed Feb. 24, 2006 coup.

During his visit last Oct. 11, Biazon found out that they were secretly detained at a stockade at the Camp Capinpin without charges being filed against them for more than a year now.

In a manifesto, the group led by former Marine Commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda said the discharge of the 26 enlisted men was illegal.

The 26 claimed they were dismissed from the service without any legal basis since they were not charged. -With Jaime Laude