AFP to order temporary troop pullout from Metro

Troops stationed in various parts of Metro Manila will be pulled out before the May 14 elections in response to calls made by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The pullout, however, will be temporary, according to Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, commander of the military’s National Capital Region Command (NCRCOM). It is only being undertaken to avoid accusations that soldiers will be taking part in partisan activities, he added.

"We will announce the exact date when our soldiers will be ordered to pull out before the elections and when they will return after it," Dolorfino said.

Dolorfino made the statement after announcing Friday that more Army troops will be deployed in the metropolis after the elections.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, on the other hand, clarified the planned additional deployment of troops as announced by Dolorfino is still under study and subject to his approval.

Esperon issued a command directive yesterday calling on all military commanders to focus more on deployment preparations rather than engaging in education and public awareness programs.

Esperon issued the directive, effectively countermanding the announcement made by Dolorfino of his plan to deploy more troops in the metropolis post-election.

Dolorfino announced Friday of his plans to add 12 Army teams to the soldiers already deployed in some slum areas in Metro Manila.

During the dialogue initiated by the CHR yesterday, Dolorfino also admitted it was a mistake to deploy troops in urban areas dressed in full battle gear.

"We have decided to replace these battle uniforms with our office uniforms and that those who will be assigned will mostly be administrative officers," Dolorfino said.

"Our men will no longer be carrying long automatic rifles around residential areas. They would only be issued hand pistols," he said.

Dolorfino also admitted the "other" objective of the deployment of troops is to counter the influence of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in the urban areas through their so-called front organizations.

Dolorfino admitted the activities formed part of the Army’s "social investigations" in the communities.

The Army top brass earlier disclosed the NPA plans to revive its urban guerrilla campaign to bring its struggle to Metro Manila.

The military had stressed the need to check the NPA’s movements and deal with their new strategy by deploying military personnel in some areas in the metropolis under "Oplan Laya 2." They have been trained to spot the communist rebels.

During the dialogue, CHR chairperson Purificacion Quisumbing stressed before Dolorfino the immediate need to pull out the troops from Metro Manila.

Quisumbing reiterated the call of the CHR for troop pull out by declaring that the mere presence of the military in an urban community "usurps civilian authority."

She said the presence of troops in Metro Manila along with other urban areas in the country would constitute "militarization" and possible infringement of civil rights.

Strong clamor

Malacañang, on the other hand, defended the deployment of troops in Metro Manila despite the earlier commitment to pull out after the May elections.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said various sectors, including religious groups and non-government organizations, agreed to the troop deployment in urban areas.

"There is a strong clamor from some communities for them (troops) to be there," Bunye said.

"Besides they will only be deployed in barangays where the local leaders specifically requested them," he said.

Bunye said the deployed troops had been "minuscule," where some 600 military personnel were assigned to a total of six barangays in Metro Manila.

"So in relation to the total number of barangays (in Metro Manila), this is a very minuscule operation," he said.

Bunye said even crime incidents significantly went down in areas where troops were assigned.

The AFP stressed the deployment of troops forms part of the civil military operations (CMO) training program of personnel>. – With Jaime Laude, Paolo Romero