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Sunday, August 24, 2003
Gloria, Trillanes' wife shun each other at PMA
By Harley F. Palangchao
FORT DEL PILAR -- President Arroyo and Capt. Arlene Orejana-Trillanes, wife of Magdalo spokesman Senior Grade Antonio Trillanes IV, never had the chance to talk although the President knew the lady officer was among PMA's welcoming party Friday night.
Orejana-Trillanes has been a member of the PMA Corps of Professors for the past three years and one of the seven pioneer females to graduate from the male-dominated premier military institution in the country.
Sources claimed that Trillanes was very calm and relaxed like any other faculty member waiting for the President to arrive at the Lim Hall.
The wife of the mutineer's spokesman, however, immediately left after the Arroyo and her party arrived and were welcomed.
Marine Maj. Edgard Arevalo, PMA spokesman, said he was not sure if Trillanes attended the dinner given for the President, who said in her speech that the rebel soldiers must pay for what they did.
"What they (rebel soldiers) did was wrong and they must pay for it. Every soldier must take justifiable punishment as part of his duty," she added.
Maj. Gen. Edilberto Adan, PMA superintendent, told reporters that Arroyo knew Orejana-Trillanes was part of the welcoming party but he added that the two had no chance or intention to talk to each other.
Orejana-Trillanes, who is reportedly in a sensitive condition due to pregnancy, still refused to be interviewed about the Oakwood incident. PMA officials said her decision should be respected.
Reports added she already visited her husband, who, along with other mutineers, are now facing probe by both the Feliciano Commission and the Senate.
Arroyo, in her speech before PMA officials and the 1009-strong cadets assured the non-abolition of PMA following the July 27 failed mutiny.
"Those in the extreme said the PMA should be abolished. There are those who say the cadets are spoiled and live in an idyllic world so detached from reality that is why they become lost dreamers when they were shocked by the realities in the field. Some say the mistah culture had bred corruption and cover-ups as well as blind loyalties to the wrong causes.
"(But) as president, I do not believe that our cadets or young officers are spoiled. I don't believe that they are empty dreamers or wayward idealists. I respect you as soldiers of the people," she said.
The chief executive and AFP's commander-in-chief noted that she visited PMA "not to demonize the officers and soldiers who went to Oakwood" but "to have a heartened talk" with the cadets.
She also assured the academy's officials and cadets that she will not abolish the academy as reported earlier.
"I expect you to uphold the highest standards of integrity, courage and loyalty - not loyalty to peers, classmates or PMAyers, but of integrity to what is noble and worthy, what is right and good for our nation and people," the President told cadets. "(Just) stick to the code of honor and the chain of command."
"Efforts to rebuild the Armed Forces of the Philippines starts here," she stressed.
The PMA also clarified reports regarding the cadets expenditure amid mounting calls by some sectors for its abolition following the July 27 Oakwood mutiny.
PMA's spokesman also brushed off reports that every PMA graduate is already a millionaire saying the maximum take home pay of a cadet during the past three years was only P124,000.
He said the actual government expenditures for each cadet in four years is P894,000 and not P2.1-million as computed by Sen. Ralph Recto.
Arevalo stressed cadets do not receive their pay and allowance in cash but through checks that already have deductions.
Last year, the government allotted PMA a budget of P500-million divided into P448.184-million for personnel services; P83,000 for maintenance and operating expenses and P2-million for capital outlay.
Arevalo told reporters Recto was apparently unaware of the direct and indirect costs for each cadet, including their base pay, subsistence allowance, hazard pay, clothing allowance and other expenses.
A cadet per capita cost summary furnished to Sun.Star revealed that direct cost includes the pay and allowances of the cadets amounting to P894,842 for four years, including the initial clothing allowance given only once pegged at P42,000 and year-end and cash gift worth around P17,928.
Indirect cost, on the other hand, includes personal services or the payment of the salaries of support personnel in cadet training, the officers, enlisted personnel, and civilian employees accounting for almost 72 percent as well as maintenance and other operation expenses like cadet recruitment activities, information drive, PMA entrance exam, cadet processing, medicines, medical, dental and office supplies, maintenance of vehicles and facilities like cadet barracks, classrooms, quarters, admin office, athletic and other cadet training facilities as well as the maintenance of the two other camps - Navy Base and Camp Allen- being supervised by PMA aside from Fort del Pilar.
"A cadet is being paid a monthly base pay of about P13,000, subsistence allowance of P60 a day and additional clothing and additional compensation of P900 a month," Arevalo added. (Sun.Star Baguio)
(August 24, 2003 issue)
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