Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople yesterday urged the investigative commissions formed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to search for the truth rather than search for “fall guys” in connection with the short-lived military mutiny in Makati City.

The secretary said absolute care must be taken so that innocent parties will not become victims of trial by publicity or tainted with guilt by association.

Ople commended the choice of retired Associate Justice Artemio Feliciano as head of the Malacanang-appointed independent commission, saying that this assures that the highest standards of rigor will prevail in the investigation.

“Justice Feliciano is an icon of the legal community and he will not let us down,” Ople said.

The foreign secretary also lauded the announcement of Senate President Franklin M. Drilon constituting the senate into a Committee of the Whole to conduct a separate but parallel inquiry into the mutiny and its causes.

This means the Senate President himself will oversee the inquiry.

“Senator Drilon has impeccable credentials and will definitely not allow the Senate probe to degenerate into a witch-hunt,” Ople said.  END