THE 26 enlisted men who were discharged from the military service last week owing to their alleged involvement in the February 2006 foiled coup attempt will ask the Army to reinstate them.

Vicente Verdadero, lawyer of the 26 Army Scout Rangers, said he would ask the Army commander, Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano, to reconsider his decision and allow the soldiers to remain in the active service.

“I will file a letter of appeal, a motion for reconsideration to General Yano [owing to] errors committed by the Army,” he said.

Acting on recommendations by two Army investigating boards that were submitted a year ago, Yano discharged the soldiers on October 24 for violating Articles of War 67 (mutiny) and 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline).

The soldiers were detained for more than one year but were never charged before a military court.

Verdadero said the only evidence the Army has against his clients were their sworn statements in a fact-finding investigation, and not in a formal investigation.

He said this was admitted to him by Col. Gilberto Roa of the Army judge advocate.

“Definitely, this is not the proper way to discharge enlisted personnel as provided for in their [Army] own regulations,” Verdadero said.

Asked if he hopes Yano would reverse his decision, Verdadero said: “That’s the process, whoever committed a mistake, he should be given an opportunity to correct it.”

The 26 soldiers were among the 40 enlisted men linked to the alleged coup plot last year. They were arrested at a military checkpoint in Camarines Sur.

The military said they were on their way to Manila to join the protest against President Arroyo when they were intercepted.

But Verdadero said the soldiers were actually on their way back to Bicol after being ordered by the Army. He said the soldiers were ordered by the Army to come to Manila to reinforce their colleagues in Fort Bonifacio.

The Scout Ranger Regiment commander at the time, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, is still facing court martial for his alleged participation in the coup attempt.

Lim is detained at Camp Mateo Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, with other leaders of the foiled coup.

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“LOOK who’s talking.”

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THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) remains uncertain on what caused the alleged fishkill in the waters off Rapu-Rapu Island, Albay, but has ruled out the possibility that it was caused by a chemical spill from the mines operating in the island.

THE 26 enlisted men who were discharged from the military service last week owing to their alleged involvement in the February 2006 foiled coup attempt will ask the Army to reinstate them.