This reverses an earlier policy of asking that testimonies of the rebel soldiers be confined to closed-door sessions.

"I strongly urge the Feliciano commission and the Senate and the House to push on with their plans to open to the media their inquiries into the (July incident," Arroyo said in a statement.

She was referring to an independent commission headed by retired justice Florentino Feliciano, created to probe the incident as well as parallel investigations being carried out by both the Senate and the House.

"The public has the right to know who is telling the truth and who is peddling lies and propaganda. We are a mature democracy that can take any controversy in stride and make enlightened judgements," Arroyo said.

"We have nothing to hide," Arroyo said, adding that false testimony would be "exposed and defeated in the end."

Both the Feliciano commission and the House and Senate plan to question the leaders of the renegade soldiers who staged the July 27 mutiny, demanding the ouster of Arroyo.

The rebel soldiers said they launched the mutiny because the Arroyo government was guilty of corruption, selling weapons to rebels, engaging in terrorism and planning martial law.

The government shrugged off the charges, saying they were mere excuses for a coup attempt.

The mutiny collapsed after less than 24 hours and the rebel soldiers were arrested.

Opposition leaders had earlier charged that the Arroyo government was trying to muzzle the mutineers to keep them from revealing alleged crimes.

WAR.WIRE