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Thursday, March 16, 2006
Biazon flogs military spokesman for tag on politicians
Sen. Rodolfo Biazon is asking the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to explain the branding of the legitimate political opposition as “enemies of the state.”
The senator was reacting to a statement of AFP spokesperson Col. Tristan Kison, who was also quoted as saying that it is only the AFP that is holding the nation together.
“To claim that it is that is the height of arrogance,” a statement penned by Biazon entitled “AFP: Don’t be Intoxicated with Power” read.
Biazon also quoted Kison as saying that “any dialogue the opposition holds with officers and men in uniform without the express consent of the military top brass will be met with necessary actions.”
This irked Biazon, a retired general, who wants to know if the statement is a collective declaration of the AFP or a personal opinion of Kison.
“If that was the collective stand of the AFP, then it is as if the loyalty of the AFP is not with democracy but to one Gloria Maca-pagal-Arroyo,” Biazon said in a press conference.
To testify
Biazon was in Cebu yesterday for the national conference on population, health and environment.
Biazon also said he is willing to testify for former senator Gringo Honasan, following reports the latter has been linked to the Oakwood mutiny.
The Arroyo administration is considering a bounty of P5-P10 million for the immediate capture of Honasan and others accused of rebellion.
Biazon was an ally of Arroyo but broke away after the “Hello Garci” wiretapping controversy that linked the President to election fraud in 2004.
He continues to question the legality of the warrantless arrests of some key anti-Arroyo leaders following the declaration of the state of national emergency last Feb. 24, the impending arrests of five party-list legislators and the raid of the Daily Tribune.
Not over
“Maybe she (Arroyo) thinks she can do this all the time, maybe she thinks she has the backing of the military,” said Biazon, adding that the problem with the military is not over.
He admitted that there are still uniformed men who have approached him with sentiments regarding the “bata-bata” system of the AFP, corruption, politization, cheating during the 2004 elections, which Biazon considers “legitimate issues.”
“They are still my constituents,” Biazon said of the men who have approached him. “They come to me but one of these days I might come to them to test what Kison said.”
Unrest
Biazon said the unrest in the military has been going on for a long time now because of corruption in government and the “bata-bata” system, adding that this caused the Oakwood mutiny in 2003.
Biazon remembered being with Honasan, also a former military officer, in trying to open the channels for communication between the government and the mutineers.
“The only participation of (Honasan) was in trying to establish communication between the government and the Magdalo (group) because he accompanied me in going to Oakwood considering our backgrounds,” Biazon said.
“If anyone says the contrary, then they must prove it. Build a strong case first because Honasan is not just anybody, he was a senator,” he said. (JGA)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (March 16, 2006 issue)
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