Lipa bishop to military: Avoid politics

A Catholic bishop called on the military yesterday to refrain from joining political forces and instead consider the welfare of the Filipino people they have sworn to protect and defend.

Lipa City Archbishop Ramon Arguelles said the latest coup attempt indicated that the disgruntled officers and servicemen who had participated in the failed power grab have been used by politicians to pursue their selfish interests.

"Huwag tayong pagagamit sa mga taong gagamitin lang tayo ngayon at bukas bibitawan tayo (You should not let yourselves be used by some people who will only dispense of you after attaining their purpose)," Arguelles said.

"Sumama tayo sa mga taong may magandang hangarin para sa mas nakararaming tao lalo na sa mahihirap (We should ally ourselves with those who have the purpose of helping the majority of our people)," said Arguelles, a former Army chaplain.

Arguelles made the appeal after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) issued a five-point agenda to the troops reminding them of their constitutional duty to protect the nation.

AFP chief Gen. Generoso Senga issued the directive stressing that soldiers should not portray themselves as a potent political force, and that politicians would try to exploit them for their own ends.

Arguelles told the Church-run Radio Veritas that he remains confident the military is aware of its mandate, "which is solely to defend the good of the people."

"Now there are reports about coup d’etat and I believe that soldiers involved here have vested interests because the true heroes in the military will never do something that would ruin the country," he said.

Arguelles stressed the military should not lead the people in changing the government but just follow the will of the majority.

Conceding the internal problems plaguing the military organization, He said these concerns are being exploited by outside forces to pursue their selfish interests.

"While we admit the need for reform and renewal in the military, there are some sinister political forces lurking around and they should not allow this (exploitation) because only the Filipino people can utilize the military," Arguelles said.

The Lipa archbishop appealed to the military to "unite and work together to attain elusive peace in the country and never to join other ideologies."

The latest directive issued by the AFP effectively forecloses the possibility of the military joining and supporting popular revolts, which in the past, have succeeded in ousting two sitting presidents in 1986 and 2001.

The Church, which played a vital role in the two EDSA popular revolts, refused to be drawn to opposition calls for the ouster of President Arroyo.

The Church’s support has often been crucial to any administration and aside from allegations of electoral cheating against Mrs. Arroyo, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) refused to give any statement over the recent issuance of Proclamation No. 1017 declaring a state of national emergency.

Mrs. Arroyo charged that extreme political forces had formed a tactical alliance to oust her from power, which prompted her to put the entire country under a weeklong state of emergency.