Armed forces Inspector General Librado Ladia had determined there was probable cause to charge the 45 officers with mutiny and sedition, and for disrespecting Arroyo, military vice chief of staff Lieutenant General Rodolfo Garcia said.

If convicted by a military court, the officers face life imprisonment and dismissal from service, he said. He did not identify the officers.

Ladia's recommendation has not yet been submitted to Philippine military chief General Narciso Abaya, but he is expected to approve it, Garcia said.

"It will be the chief of staff who will approve the recommendation," Garcia told reporters.

More than 300 soldiers led by junior military officers seized control of an upscale apartment building and shopping center in the financial center of Makati on July 27. They had demanded the resignations of Arroyo and other defense officials because of alleged corruption in the military.

The siege ended around 20 hours later after the rebel soldiers agreed to return to barracks and face court martial in exchange for Arroyo conducting a probe into their allegations.

Arroyo has since accepted the resignation of the military's intelligence chief to quell apparent restiveness in the ranks but has not lifted a "state of rebellion" she declared at the height of the siege.

She has said that "residual threats" remained against her government, with civilian and military backers of the rebel soldiers believed to be at large.

Last week the government separately charged 321 soldiers for rebellion in a civilian Manila court.

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