Thursday, May 03, 2007 Esperon: AFP is apolitical, but won't vote for militants By Carlo P. Mallo
GENERAL Hermogenes Esperon, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, is confident that his troops will not give a single vote to any of the partylist groups linked to the New People's Army (NPA).
Although Esperon still asserts that the AFP remains to be apolitical.
During a press conference last Tuesday at the 10th Infantry Division headquarters, Esperon said the military has not engaged in any form of partisan politics.
He also dispersed reports that the military personnel are forced to only vote for the administration slate of senatorial candidates, Team Unity.
"We are not campaigning for anybody, and no candidate will be allowed to campaign within the premises of the camps," Esperon said.
However, Esperon was more than confident that the absentee voting being conducted at the various military camps will not deliver any votes to groups that are linked to or sympathetic with the insurgency movement.
"Groups sympathetic to the NPA will not get votes from the military," Esperon said.
Moreover, Esperon disclosed that the greatest threat to the conduct of the May polls is the presence of loose firearms in the hands of the insurgency movement.
