Saturday, October 06, 2007 AFP ladies here to launch fund campaign, not to party By Ben O. Tesiorna and Carlo P. Mallo
ARMED Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. Friday denied reports that his wife, Lorna, and 20 other wives of top ranking military officials made use of a military plane and ship during their visit to Davao City.
The military's Eastern Mindanao Command insisted the generals' wives were not in the city to party but to launch a CD/DVD compilation for the benefit of the soldiers who were killed in combat.
In a telephone interview, Esperon said members of the AFP Ladies Club flew to this city on Monday via Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines.
On Tuesday, some of the club members decided to hitch to a C-130 plane scheduled that day to leave for Manila.
The others, meanwhile, decided to stay longer in the city and flew back later to Manila onboard a commercial plane.
Esperon said the club members never abused their status as wives of high- ranking military officials as alleged by some soldiers who happened to be with them on the military plane.
A soldier who requested anonymity said Thursday that they were made to wait for more than an hour by Air Force officials before they were allowed to board the plane as the wives of the generals were the ones given the priority over the soldiers.
The club members were reported to be in the city Monday to attend the birthday party of a businesswoman.
The club members even wanted to use the naval ship on their way to Pearl Farm Resort on the Island Garden City of Samal, but Navy officials reportedly declined the request because their trip was not official.
Major Rod Sosmeña, spokesman for Eastern Mindanao Command, said club members arrived in the city onboard various commercial flights.
"Kasama ako sa mga sumundo kay (I was among those who fetched) Ma'am Esperon, she was on board PAL (Philippine Airlines)," he said.
"It is also wrong to say they were here to party. They were here to launch the DVD/CD 'Kawal Pilipino'," Sosmeña added. It was learned that 'Kawal Pilipino' was a fund raising venture of the Ladies Club in order to help the families of the soldiers who were slain in combat in Basilan and Sulu.
Major Medel Aguilar, chief of the 5th Civil Relations Group, for his part said the return flight of the C-130 was scheduled on that day and that some wives opted to take the same.
"Nakisakay na lang yung ibang wives (the other wives just hitched ride) in going back to Manila as the C-130 was also bound for Manila," Sosmeña said.
