Esperon downplays ‘Kawal’ threat

Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon dismissed yesterday as "plain propaganda threats" the statement of the shadowy Kawal Filipino that junior military officers are poised to mount a coup.

Speaking on behalf of Esperon, Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, AFP public information chief, said some groups are again taking advantage of the "political exercises" to draw support from the military.

"This is a mere propaganda spawned by the issue of Charter change," he said. "The mere fact that their identity is dubious, how can they claim to be the Armed Forces of the People."

Bacarro said the military as an organization would remain focused on its mission and will never venture into unconstitutional activities.

"The (rebel junior officers) are now back on their full-duty status, and I am confident that they will never allow themselves to be used again," he said.

Sometime in February 2004, a group of junior officers, calling themselves Kawal Filipino, in a clandestine press conference exposed a government plot to rig the elections.

But the group was subsequently uncovered, and the events that followed led to the arrest and detention of Army Captains Peter Edwin Navarro, Philip Esmeralda, Mohamed Yusof Hasan and Rembert Baylosis, along with three others.

In a plea bargain deal with military prosecutors, the seven subsequently pleaded guilty as charged before a military court and were meted the corresponding punishment.

Before they were allowed back to the service, the junior officers first renewed their pledge of allegiance to the commander-in-chief and to the Constitution.

In a press statement, the Kawal Pilipino, declaring that they are the people’s Armed Forces, said they are ready to use their arms to protect the people.

"People of the Philippines, we are your Armed Forces," read the statement.

"In recent days, we have seen a constitutional coup perpetrated by the very people sworn to defend the Constitution. The nation is shocked and outraged.

"All the institutions of society are rising to protest this iniquity. We in the Armed Forces face a choice — we can either use our arms to protect the people or cow them into submission.

"We choose to use them to protect the people. That is our duty, that is the reason we exist. We have been told that huge rallies and marches will be taking place next week (this coming Sunday).

"We give fair warning to Malacañang, Congress, and the police; Do not even think to scuttle them, do not even think to do the marchers harm. We will meet push with push, force with force, fire with fire." — Jaime Laude