'Teodoro should be pleased with lack of involvement in Phl military'

MANILA, Philippines - Washington told former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s defense secretary during a discussion about the political turmoil in Thailand that he should be pleased with the lack of political involvement on the part of the Philippine military.

A US diplomatic cable sent by former US Ambassador Kristie Kenney to Washington in November 2008 and published by whistle-blower WikiLeaks revealed that Arroyo’s most senior advisors voiced deep dismay in conversations with the ambassador at the political turmoil in Thailand that time, but believed that the Philippines’ lively democracy would stay within constitutional bounds. 

The cable said then defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro privately criticized the Thai Army chief’s call for the Prime Minister to step down, and praised the refusal of senior Philippine military officers to get drawn into political maneuverings in the country. 

Teodoro characterized the political situation in Thailand as “very troubling” and said the Philippine government was watching developments closely. 

He labeled as “outrageous” Thai Army chief Anupong Paojinda’s call for the Prime Minister to step down and said he was considering canceling the general’s participation in an upcoming meeting for ASEAN army chiefs hosted by the Philippines.

“He voiced some concern the Thai protests could embolden anti-government groups here, but foreign affairs secretary Alberto Romulo and others were confident that Manila would not see the kind of large-scale protests that have rocked Bangkok,” the cable said.

Romulo also noted that ASEAN members might have to reconsider whether to hold their upcoming summit in Thailand, and Teodoro suggested that the Thai Army chief might not be invited to a planned regional defense chiefs event here.

“The ambassador commented to Teodoro that he should

be pleased with the lack of political involvement on the part of the Philippine military during recent impeachment maneuverings against President Arroyo, to which Teodoro responded that indeed, the Philippine Armed Forces had shown a high degree of professionalism in the face of political pressure,” the cable said.

Privately, however, Teodoro confided to the ambassador that he was concerned that opportunists in the Philippines might be emboldened by the Thai protesters’ actions and call for massive street protests before Christmas to oust Arroyo.