Military leaders urge soldiers to register early for 2007 elections

Military leaders have called on soldiers to register early so that they can vote in the national elections next year.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino stressed that it is better for soldiers to participate in a democratic process rather than resort to unacceptable or violent means of changing the government. Tolentino was apparently referring to detained Scout Rangers and Marine officers who plotted the failed Feb. 24 coup d’etat.

Army spokesman Maj. Ernesto Torres Jr. allayed fears that the call for the soldiers to register early in the coming elections has political undertones.

"The Army leadership fully understands the need for soldiers to be non-partisan. There is nothing sinister with soldiers registering to vote in elections because this is a guaranteed constitutional right of every qualified Filipino voter," Torres said, giving an assurance that the Philippine Army will not engage in partisan political activity.

Torres said the advice issued to soldiers to register was only meant to remind and encourage troops to exercise their right to vote. It also complements the call of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for qualified voters to register for the 2007 polls.

"Voting in elections educate soldiers (on the need) to adhere to and uphold the democratic process rather than resort to other unacceptable or violent means that would be detrimental to the country," Torres said.

"If soldiers can die for their country, then they can exercise their right to vote," he added.

Meanwhile, six of the 28 detained Army officers, cleared by military probers of involvement in the failed Feb. 24 coup, have yet to be released from prison despite an order for their release.

Torres said the order for the release of Maj. Oriel Pangcog, Capt. George Malones, 1Lts. Antonio Timbal, Jerald Reyes, Mario Bautista and Michael Cuarteros is still being processed. The six will remain in detention until the paper work is completed.

Upon release, they have a slim chance though of returning to their mother unit, the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR). This is in compliance with the recommendation of the Lopez ad hoc investigation committee that no officer linked to any failed attempt to overthrow the government should be assigned to any elite unit of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

On the other hand, Lt. Col. Martin Villasan, one of the Marine officers cleared by military probers of complicity in the botched power grab, has filed a leave absence.

Villasan and Lt. Col. Reynaldo Ocsan, Marines deputy chief for intelligence, were freed last week after being cleared of the charges filed against them.

At present, 30 Scout Rangers and Marine officers headed by Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Col. Ariel Querubin, are still detained awaiting formal trial.