|
Friday, October 05, 2007
Arroyo seeks bill safeguarding military secrets
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo directed the Department of National Defense (DND) and the military to work with administration lawmakers and Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) in drafting a bill that would ensure the protection and upholding of military secrets.
Arroyo, in issuing Administrative Order (AO) 197, also said the bill should also ensure that military operations would not be hampered or unnecessarily interrupted.
Join forum on Sandiganbayan's guilty verdict on Estrada plunder case. Post comments here.
"The DND/AFP shall draft legislation in consultation with the PLLO and Congress allies for safeguards against disclosures of military secrets and undue interference in military operations inimical to national security," she said in the AO.
The directive was made on the heels of ongoing Senate investigations on the "Hello Garci" controversy where several military officials are being invited to shed light on their alleged involvement in illegal wiretapping activities.
Malacañang barred retired military officials Tirso Danga and Efren Abu and Colonel Paul Sumayo and Captains Frederick Rebong and Lindsay Rex Sagge from attending the hearings invoking executive privilege.
Danga was intelligence chief when the illegal wiretapping operations were conducted by intelligence agents in 2004 while Abu as the military chief. Sumayo, Rebong and Sagge are all members of the Intelligence Service of the AFP (Isafp) who allegedly supervised the "Project Lighthouse" wiretap operation.
AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. earlier said they could not allow their officials, including those who are already retired, to attend the Senate hearing because military operations including trade secrets could not be made public.
Both Malacañang and the military in the past also barred officials from attending previous hearings like those on the alleged destabilization plots as the hearings coincided with ongoing military operations in Mindanao.
Arroyo on September 25 signed AO 197 listing five directives, including the drafting of bills on guarding military secrets, aimed at addressing "security concerns."
She also ordered the acceleration of recruitment, training, equipping and deployment of Civilian Armed Forces Geographic Units (Cafgus) that would be assigned in areas where there are less military troops.
She said the defense department and military should also investigate, stop and punish those who have been collecting salaries for "ghost" Cafgus.
The President also ordered defense and military officials to work closely with the Presidential Human Rights Committee chaired by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita for more speedy actions on the unexplained killings and forced disappearance cases, and the drafting and implementation of more effective reforms to avoid human rights abuses.
She said she wants a regular report submitted to her, through Ermita, on the developments in extrajudicial killing and human rights abuse cases. (JMR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (October 5, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
