Navy committee set to present results of probe on colonel in anti-gov’t video

MANILA, Philippines—The special investigating committee (SIC) tasked to conduct an inquiry on the case of a Marine colonel who posted a video on the Internet calling for the ouster of the government will submit its recommendation to the Navy flag officer in command (FOIC) on Tuesday after its deliberations on the issue.

In a text message sent to members of the media, Navy spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Omar Tonsay said the SIC convened on Tuesday at 9 a.m. and that deliberations ended at 1:30 p.m.

The committee conducted an inquiry on the video posted by retiring Navy Colonel Generoso Mariano last month wherein the disgruntled military official expressed his disappointment with the military institution and the Aquino government.

According to Tonsay, the deliberations took into consideration the statement made, under oath, by Mariano during the open proceedings last July 20.

“This testimony and other evidences gathered by the SIC forms the basis of the deliberation and the subsequent recommendation,” Tonsay said in the message.

Tonsay added that all members of the SIC were present for the deliberations and that Navy FOIC Vice Admiral Alexander Pama might issue its approval of the committee’s recommendations by Wednesday. However, he did not disclose what the SIC’s recommendations were.—Katherine Evangelista