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Saturday, September 22, 2007
6 junior officers suspected in new coup plot
MANILA -- The military has reassigned at least six of its junior officers for alleged involvement in the plans to destabilize the government.
Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. however assured Friday that efforts to recruit soldiers for alleged destabilization would not succeed.
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Esperon said the six military officers, whom he refused to identify, are trying to recruit fellow officers and enlisted personnel, together with a number of retired military officers, whom he also declined to name.
“We (military leadership) have done some moves short of arresting like reassigning them or putting them on hold and continuing surveillance on them,” Esperon said of the officers who have been sanctioned.
He said the latest reassignment ordered by the military on the erring officers was “within last week.” However, he refused to say where the officers were previously assigned or where they were taken.
The military confirmed last Thursday fresh efforts to lure members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to take part in the destabilization move, capitalizing on some “flimsy issues” like the procurement process and the multibillion-peso modernization program.
“I would like to credit our soldiers who were approached, who were texted for reporting to their superiors,” said Esperon, adding that the six were reported by their fellow officers and soldiers as among those who are recruiting.
Esperon said the six junior officers were trying to recruit those from the ranks of the junior officers and the enlisted personnel.
According to him, the reassignments and putting on hold is not the only punishments the military is taking against the active officers involved in the recruitment. “There are other things. We have some (other actions). It may not necessarily be just a reassignment,” he said.
On whether the other actions they are taking are leading to the conduct of trial before a general court martial, the military chief said: “As of now, we are not there yet but we will not relent on them.”
Pressed what was his gauge in saying the recruitment had been unsuccessful, Esperon replied: “We have no units that are moving (for the destabilization move) and our soldiers know the issue. They already know it.”
NBN deal
Esperon also said they will look into possibilities if there are politicians or civilians involved in the recruitment. He acknowledged that the controversial National Broadband Network (NBN) program is being used as an issue by the recruiters.
“That’s how they are luring (the soldiers). They are saying, look at the ZTE. But is that the real picture of the ZTE. Now you can hear it yourself. You can examine the documents so our soldiers will not be easily given into agitations,” said Esperon.
He said the soldiers were “disturbed” by the initial lack of information in connection with the broadband deal. He said they are thankful that Cabinet secretaries appeared before the Senate to shed light on the project.
“We are glad at the turn of events so this is clear to us. I do not know if it is becoming clear to you since before, there is only one man accusing, no one is answering. Now all questions have been answered. In fact, the agreements have been already given to the Senate,” he said.
Esperon nevertheless said soldiers’ focus is on the conduct of the operations “so we can assure that your Armed Forces is following the chain of command and we are following the duly constituted authority , the Commander-in-Chief.”
He also explained the supposed tightening of the security at the AFP Detention Center at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal where Marine and Army officers implicated in last year’s failed power grab are detained.
Among them are former Marine commandant Renato Miranda, former Scout Ranger Regiment commander Danilo Lim, and Medal of Valor awardees Colonel Ariel Querubin and Lieutenant Colonel Custodio Parcon.
Reinforcement
Esperon announced that the AFP’s National Capital Region Command (NCRcom) is being re-enforced by other military units due to destabilization attempts. The NCRcom has at least 3,000 men.
“As we have said there are attempts (to destabilize government), we want to be on the safe side. We want to have the forces, available forces here with us, just in case,” said Esperon
“This is also an exercise. We want to make sure that we can do what we want to do when there are contingencies that we have to address. So we want to know how fast they can come. We want to know how many people are ready. So there would exactly be no immediate deployment, no immediate threat. But we want to be prepared by way of exercises,” he said.
Among the units that will be reinforcing the NCRcom, which is tasked to secure the seat of the government, is the 760th Combat Group of the Air Force Special Operations Wing based in Clark Field, Pampanga. Air Force Chief Horacio Tolentino said the unit has about 200 officers and men.
The other officers and men who are reinforcing the NCRcom is the 54th Infantry Battalion which was formerly attached to the 5th Infantry Division.
Esperon said the reinforcement is equivalent to at least three companies. (VR/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (September 22, 2007 issue)
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