AFP: Coup talks baseless

SENATOR SAYS NOY MADE BIG MISTAKE IN DEMORALIZING TROOPS

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yesterday quickly branded as “baseless” the reported brewing coup plot against the administration due to the reported demoralization in the military ranks following the “weak” position taken by President Aquino against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The AFP leadership, however, failed to explain why it claims that the brewing coup plot is without basis when it was Malacañang that had started the coup talks with its statement on “efforts” by an unidentified group to destabilize the Aquino government.

At a chance interview during a book launching in Camp Aguinaldo, AFP chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. admitted that the issue of demoralization in the ranks was among the discussions he had with military field commanders in Mindanao during his visit on Tuesday, but claimed that the morale of the troops is high and that the AFP is focused on its mandate.

“That’s among the discussions we had. I’d like to tell you that morale is high. I was assured by the commanders on the ground that everybody in the area both in Wesmincom (Western Mindanao Command) and Eastmincom (Eastern Mindanao Command) is really after the successful operation,” Oban said. “There is no

loyalty check…we’d like to assure everybody that we remain focused on our mandate, we have mandate and job to do,” added Oban, during the launching of the Human Rights-Based Intelligence Operations by the Office of the AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (J2) Maj. Gen. Francisco Cruz Jr, who echoed Oban’s pronouncement denying any brewing plot against the Aquino administration.

“Untrue, no basis, propaganda,” replied Cruz when asked of the supposed brewing coup plot.

“There is no demoralization, it’s part and parcel of our job. These are the hazards in the military profession. Ther is no such thing as demoralization. It’s a fabrication, it’s a product of the imagination of somebody who wants this government to go down,” said Cruz.

The military intelligence chief also junked any loyalty check within the AFP ranks.

“There was no instruction to conduct a loyalty check. There is no need to conduct a loyalty check,”stressed Cruz.

The Malacañang spokesman echoed the same, saying that “what is important is to inform our soldiers: This is the state of our AFP. This is what the President said. These are the directives he made.”

But it was deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte on Tuesday who admitted that the President is aware that there are sectors that want to take advantage of the situation and are “agitating”the military for political leverage.

“I don’t know what’s their (Palace) basis (for saying that) but on the ground, there’s none,”said Cruz.

While practically everyone in government appears to be denying the growing discontent in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and supposed brewing military coup, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV appears to be the only one candid enough to admit that there is indeed a low morale existing in the military.

He also stressed that Aquino, as the AFP Commander-in-Chief committed a major faux pas when he berated the military officers in public.

Trillanes yesterday openly expressed his disapproval over the manner in which Aquino dealt with the soldiery during a recent command conference, where he virtually blamed the soldiers–19 of whom were killed and disemboweled by the MILF–for the Basilan bloodbath and gave the public impression that he was siding with the enemy–the Moro rebel group, as Aquino made it clear that he was not satisfied, disappointed with and dismayed by the performance of the troops in Basilan.

“The command conference was held in public. In reprimanding military leaders, it’s basic (to follow the principle that) you praise (them) in public, you reprimand (them) in private,” Trillanes said during a morning TV interview.

Trillanes, who first gained prominence for staging a failed mutiny while he was still a junior military officer several years ago, pointed out that a number of AFP commanders who were not directly involved in the military operation were also present during the said command conference.

“To me, I think it was inappropriate,” he said.

The senator said it would have been better had President Aquino initially sympathized with the slain soldiers and made a public display that he is fully behind the AFP despite the incident.

“He (should) have sympathized with their cause and immediately, he should have demanded that the MILF turned over the perpetrators of this particular incident. At least, there should have been that kind of a statement made. But it’s all water under the bridge now,”he said.

He pointed out that Aquino has come off image-wise as an “insensitive” CiC.

Trillanes recently initiated the filing of a resolution in the upper chamber to probe the circumstances surrounding the clashes between the MILF and government troops against the backdrop of ongoing peace talks.

“The policy side of the issue, I believe, should be revisited, especially on the parameters of the ceasefire agreement. In incidents like this, what mechanisms should be involved? Should the culprits be turned over to the offended party? We need to ascertain if there are provisions on these issues. Of course, it’s related also to the administration of justice and more importantly, we need to find out if the MILF is in full control of their commanders on the ground,”he said.

Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said it was only proper for AFP Chief Oban to keep mum or veer away from whatever controversies now coming out surrounding the military encounters in Basilan, Zamboanga Sibugay and Lanao provinces, adding that Oban should keep his silence at this time, because as AFP chief of staff, he is under the command and supervision of his commander in chief.

“Although the AFP spokesman expressed what was allegedly the sentiment of their ranks over the incident, I don’t think it’s right for him to speak on the issue in public because they have this so-called chain of command which seems to be what is being observed now by Oban,” Escudero said in an interview with reporters.

“He’s giving respect to the commander in chief,”he added.

The alleged coup talks was also immediately crushed by AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos saying that they have not received any reports from the ground commanders within the so-called chain of command over such issue.

“Of course we understand the position of Burgos. He needs to say that. But the information we have received was that on the ground, there is indeed (a prevailing) low morale among our soldiers, junior officers, senior officers, enlisted personnel for that matter. It was brought about by several factors (but) primarily it was due to what was happening back and forth before the media,” Trillanes said during a morning television interview yesterday.

“I’m just saying the problem with the situation is that when I investigated also when I visited the wake of the slain soldiers, I found out that those sent out in the field were ill-equipped. They do not have the basic load (of armaments). Their magazine was one or two only while others had four, at the most.

“Only 40 soldiers were deployed in one area although there were 100 plus Marines were pinned down a few years ago by the same person whom they were running after. And how come there was no reinforcement after six to nine hours of firefight and finally (they were supposed to be engaged in a) diving course ito and they were not supposed to be sent out in a test mission.

“There were apparent lapses on the part of some ground commanders and one of which was the failure of intelligence the reason it resulted that way,” Trillanes pointed out.

Sen. Gregorio Honasan said the coup rumors are baseless, but if there is one, he doesn’t believe it will succeed as the reasons should be deeper and widespread.

“There is no credible personality inside and outside the military organization that can pull it off. Of course, the very last and critical ingredient is, will it generate popular support?,” he said.

Honasan also dismissed allegations that the camp of former president, Rep. Gloria Arroyo is supposedly taking advantage of the situation in Mindanao and could be the ones fanning the supposed destablization plots.

Opposition Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos , Jr., on the other hand said Aquino’s governance style is to blame for the reported growing restlessness and demoralization within the AFP ranks.

“Like I have always said, the President who heads government is not a true leader. All this trouble is his own doing and he has no one to blame but himself,” Marcos noted.

Marcos added that “the disgruntled soldiers are aware that their supposed Commander in Chief does not understand his responsibilities toward the soldiers that endure the suffering and face death to protect our sovereignty.”

“Noynoy has only himself to blame for whatever ill feelings these brave soldiers have toward him because they feel that not only is he not supporting and leading them but he treats them with disdain and arrogance,” he emphasized.

“Our soldiers do not want a war where civilian casualties will come as a result. They want to fight the armed enemies of the State that continue to ambush them and kill them. They want to hear their Commander in Chief commit to avenging the deaths of their fellow soldiers by running after the killers,” he added.

“History has shown us that sometimes, unfortunately, peace is won by demonstrating that there is a heavy price to be paid by those who insist on war,” Marcos said. “Our soldiers are being killed. We must avenge the murder of our military men decisively, and as swiftly as possible. –Mario J. Mallari, Angie M. Rosales and Virgilio Bugaoisan, Daily Tribune