Burden of proof now in Gadian's hands - AFP spokesman

MANILA, Philippines – A spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said yesterday that since Lt. Senior Grade Nancy Gadian has come out, the burden is now on her to prove her allegations that there are threats to her life.

“It is good that she has now resurfaced so that she can substantiate her claims to two things. Number one, her claim that she received threats on her life from members of the Armed Forces, and second, her allegations that the Balikatan 2007 funds have been misused,” Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said.

Gadian, with nuns from the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP), presented herself the other day before the Court Appeals (CA) during a hearing on the writ of amparo filed by her sister Medina Gadian Diamante.

Brawner said Gadian’s coming forward is a good development because this would put an end to speculations and innuendos brought about by her exposé.

If the court finds Gadian’s claims that the threat to her life was only imagined, she must be willing and ready to submit herself to military procedures, Brawner said.

“She must face the Efficiency and Separation Board (ESB). Kailangan niyang harapin ulit yung kanyang naiwan na kaso (she has to face her pending cases) because she’s still a soldier of the AFP, contrary to her claim that she is no longer connected with the military,” he said.

But Brawner said in the meantime, the AFP leadership fully respects the writ of amparo for Gadian and her decision to seek sanctuary with the nuns.

Gadian, who filed her resignation as Navy officer, claimed that several senior officials misused the 2007 Balikatan funds intended for Civil-Military Operations projects in Western Mindanao.

She specifically tagged former Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) commander retired Gen. Eugenio Cedo as one of the officers who benefited from the alleged financial anomaly.

Cedo, who ordered Gadian investigated for alleged mishandling of P2.3 million of Balikatan funds released to her for the implementation of the Balikatan projects in Western Mindanao, has denied the allegations.

On the other hand, the AFP Internal Auditor has cleared Gadian of any financial wrongdoing, except for P2,500 in unliquidated hotel expenses.

Cedo, meantime, filed an insubordination case against Gadian before the Navy’s ESB for her refusal to submit herself to an investigation he ordered.