Speedy court martial vowed for 4 soldiers

MANILA, Philippines - The military court formed to hear the case of four officers believed to be liable for the bloody clash in Al-Barka, Basilan last October has vowed to fast-track its proceedings for the benefit of victims’ families.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said expediting the proceedings would also benefit the respondents, who are on floating status during the duration of the trial.

“The directive of (court-martial president) Brig. Gen. Teodoro Cirilo Torralba III is to expedite the trial of the case. This is not only for the benefit of the victims but also the accused officers,” Burgos said.

The accused officers - Col. Aminkadra Undog, Col. Orlando Edralin, Col. Alexander Macario and Lt. Col. Leo Peña - cannot be promoted while they are on trial.

Burgos said no timetable was set for the proceedings. The members of the court-martial have agreed to meet every Tuesday at 2 p.m. to deliberate on the case.

He said the accused officers did not have any objection on the composition of the court-martial.

“They agreed with the composition and credibility of those who sill sit as members of the court-martial,” Burgos said.

Nineteen soldiers were killed and 14 others were injured after Army troops clashed with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels at sitio Baisung, barangay Cambug in Al-Barka town last Oct. 18.

Soldiers who figured in the clash were supposed to serve a warrant of arrest on MILF commander Dan Laksaw Asnawi, who was tagged in the killing of 14 Marines in Basilan in 2007, lawless element Long Malat and Abu Sayyaf leader Furuji Indama.

Undog, Edralin, Macario, and Peña have been accused of violating Article of War No. 96 or conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman in conjunction with Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code for acts of negligence; Article No. 97 or disorder and neglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline, and Article No. 84 or willful or negligent loss, damage or wrongful disposition.

Undog is the former commander of the Army’s Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) while Edralin was chief of the Special Forces Regiment’s Training School. Macario is former chief of the Special Operations Task Force-Basilan while Peña used to lead the 4th Special Operations Battalion.

The four have entered a not guilty plea during their arraignment at Camp Aguinaldo last May 22.

Torralba, currently the senior military adviser of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, was named president of the military court.

Other members of the military tribunal include Col. Dante Talino, Col. Domingo Tutaan Jr., Col. Wilfred Bonilla, Col Joel Celino, Col. Rafael Sera – all from the Army – and Air Force Col. Andre Tanyag.