Miranda to Marines: Support new chief

Resigned Philippine Marine Corps commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda urged Marine troopers to support his successor, Brig. Gen. Nelson Allaga.

Miranda issued the call shortly after he vacated his office before midnight Sunday.

"General Allaga is an equally well-rounded officer that I support fully. He is now the commandant. Every Marine should support his leadership," Miranda said.

He also gave assurances that he would be available to all personnel in the corps and would only be taking a leave of absence for a month.

Miranda admitted that he filed his resignation with a heavy heart. However, as his leadership was in question, he said he had to make the sacrifice to preserve unity in the corps.

The commandant, he added, needs to be trusted by superior officers, and being linked to the coup plot is something that had clouded his leadership and is no longer healthy to the organization.

He denied involvement in the coup plot, however, saying that had it not been for his firm leadership, different things could have happened last Sunday.

"Had it not been for our policy that every decision should be consensual, something might have happened. And I prevailed," Miranda said.

"We in the Marines decide based on the general consensus... I was glad it ended with unity among the Marines," he said.

According to Miranda, even Col. Ariel Querubin also threw his support behind the new leadership of Allaga.

"Kasi ’yun lang ang yabang ng Marino, nity (Because that is the Marines’ only pride, unity)," he said.

Miranda doused speculations that he was sacked from his post because of his links to the foiled plot to topple the government.

He said the standoff that transpired Sunday evening was not between him and Allaga.

"The issue here is how the institution is being treated unfairly and that the Marine commander is treated that way," he explained. Miranda also denied claims that Querubin had been relieved from his post and was now undergoing investigation.

"We in the Marines have our own way of addressing our problems. That’s the Marines," he stressed.