The charges were filed before the Makati Regional Trial Court.

Aside from Trillanes and Guingona, those charged were Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, Bishop Julio Labayen, Father Robert P. Reyes, Capt. Gary C. Alejano, Capt. Segundino P. Orfiano, Jr., Lt/Sg Manuel Cabochan, Lt/Sg. James Layug, Lt/Jg Arturo Pascua, Jr., Lt. Eugene G. Peralta, Lt. Andy G. Torrato, 1Lt. Billy S. Pascua, 1Lst. Jonnel P. Sangalang, Ens. Armand G. Pontejos, Atty. J.V. Bautista, Atty. Argee C. Guevarra, Former UP President Francisco Nemenzo, Julius J. Mesa, Cezari Yassir T. Gonzales, Cpl. Clecarte D. Danahan, Pfc. Juanito Jilbury, Pfc. Emmanuel C. Tirador, Pfc. German H. Linde, Antonio F. Trillanes III, Myrna H. Buendia, Dominador R. Rull Jr., Romeo C. Solis, Roel J. Gadon, Rommel R. Loreto, Julian L. Advincula, Francisco N. Bosi, Leodor G. de la Cruz, Sonny B. Madarang, Elizabeth O. Siguion-Reyna, and Francisco C. Peñaflor.

The DoJ also directed the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to include in its hold departure list the 50 individuals who participated in the latest attempt to unseat President Arroyo.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez cited the "interest of national security and public safety" in imposing the travel ban against Trillanes et al upon the request of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Guingona and another respondent, Elizabeth Orteza Siguion-Reyna, are both confined at a hospital, while Infanta, Quezon Bishop Emeritus Julio Labayen is under the custody of Bishop Tria Tirona.

Former University of the Philippines President Francisco Nemenzo was also included in the Hold Departure Order, but because of his age and health, he was ordered released for humanitarian reason to party-list Rep. Ana Theresa Hontiveros-Baraquel.

In a 10-page resolution signed by the panel of investigating prosecutors led by Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco, the justice department justified the filing of charges, saying the walk-out staged by the Trillanes group from the Regional Trial Court in Makati City and the subsequent take over of the Peninsula hotel could not be considered as spontaneous.

The prosecutors, however, ordered the release of 14 individuals for further preliminary investigation. Ordered released were lawyer El Cid C. Fajardo, Herman T. Laurel, Leonido Toledo, Jr., Evangeline B. Mendoza, Jose A. Albert, Eduardo R. Castro, Ferdinand P. Sandoval, Julio Y. Ancheta, Stella D. Guingona, Maamor D. Lanto, Romeo S. Dacles, Ryan Z. Custodio, and Edgardo V. Tulaylay.

The DoJ said the case of Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, who remains at-large, is also set for preliminary investigation.

All the accused -- except for Guingona Jr., Siguion Reyna, Bishop Labayen and Faeldon -- were all present and duly assisted by their lawyers during the inquest proceedings last Friday and Saturday.

Based on the evidence presented by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the panel said it was clear that the accused committed the crime of rebellion when they walked out of the Makati court, seized the Peninsula hotel and called for Mrs. Arroyo to resign.

Meanwhile, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay said yesterday he supports the cause of the Magdalo group led by Trillanes IV for staging the standoff but not the violent manner by which it was executed.

"I supported their cause insofar as calling for Mrs. Arroyo’s resignation, pero hindi ang kanilang pamamaraan," Binay said.

Concurrently the president of UNO, Binay said the resignation of the President was a long-held position of UNO since 2005 when the Chief Executive was embroiled in the "Hello Garci" scandal regarding allegation of poll cheating in the 2004 presidential election.

"Resignation of Mrs. Arroyo was the main position of the United Opposition. We even wrote a letter to her asking him to resign for the sake of the country and the people," Binay said. (with a report by Kris Bayos)

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Palace seeks ‘rules of engagement’ in media coverage

David Cagahastian

Malacañang seeks to establish "rules of engagement" that would be enforced during media coverages of events that could affect national security, amid legal suits between media groups and the police over the handling of the Manila Peninsula Hotel standoff in Makati last Thursday.

Presidential Management Staff chief Cerge Remonde said a dialogue between the police and media organizations has been scheduled for tomorrow, Dec. 5, at the Dusit Hotel in Makati City to come up with "mutually acceptable rules of engagement" during coverages that may affect national security.

Remonde said these rules would aim to prevent journalists from being used as "human shields" and to prevent the media from being used as a medium to incite sedition.

During the incident at the Manila Peninsula Hotel last Nov.29, journalists were handcuffed and bused to Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, though they were later released after the "processing" by the police.

The police said they are ready to answer charges of human rights abuse in the arrest of the journalists. They have threatened to file a counter-suit against journalists who covered the failed coup for allegedly compromising military operations to thwart Trillanes’ coup attempt.

The police said journalists may have been used as "human shields" by Trillanes and the Magdalo soldiers, and that the broadcasting of military operations and positions outside the hotel may have compromised the safety of government troops.

Vice President Noli De Castro will lead the government panel in the dialogue that would include Philippine National Police chief Avelino Razon Jr. and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr.

Journalists will be represented by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, and heads of media organizations, Remonde said.

Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, who had earlier said the journalists were partly to blame for their arrest because they had refused to heed repeated police appeals to vacate the Manila Peninsula, was conciliatory as he called on the police and media organizations to "bridge misunderstandings."