Palace: Military, police loyal to commander-in-chief

MANILA, Philippines - The military and the police are loyal to their commander-in-chief and rumors of power grab through coup “are all noise,” Malacañang said yesterday.

“Our belief is that it’s all noise. We are not bothered by any rumors of a coup. The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) has already issued a statement to that effect – that it is a professional organization,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said. “We are 101 percent confident of the AFP’s loyalty to the President. The rank and file recognizes the efforts made by the administration,” Lacierda stressed.

He added President Aquino has “regular meetings” with AFP and PNP (Philippine National Police) officials who have assured him that there is no plot to unseat him.

He added that the Aquino administration has been responsive to the needs of soldiers and policemen and that there is no reason for them to feel disgruntled.

“How can it be successful? Assuming, for the sake of argument, if there is one, when the President has launched his several programs for the benefit of the soldiers and the policemen. We’ve got the housing programs going on,” Lacierda pointed out.

“We have increased the combat pay of the soldiers and we are providing housing benefits not only for the soldiers. We are extending the housing benefits to also the PNP, also to the Bureau of Fire Protection personnel and will extend to beyond Luzon. This year we extend it to Visayas and Mindanao,” he said.

“All these programs necessary to ensure the benefits of those who are protecting and serving us are being ensured by the President in his various programs towards the AFP and the PNP,” Lacierda pointed out. 

He added it would be up to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to prove his allegation that some retired senior officers associated with the previous Arroyo administration were recruiting forces for an operation to oust Aquino.

“We will leave it with him. We are not bothered by this coup rumors so the economy is not bothered by it,” Lacierda said.

The other day, former constabulary chief Ramon Montano disclosed that several politicians, in cahoots with retired military officials and businessmen, were indeed plotting to oust Aquino. Montano claimed that members of the elite who are unhappy with Aquino’s reforms are behind the supposed ouster plot.

“P-Noy ouster reports are orchestrated by political/economic (groups) who are extremely unhappy with the unwavering, straight narrow path P-Noy is pursuing,” Montano said.

“Their (elite) allies in the military, in the criminal justice system, in the courts, in civic organizations, in media and in almost the whole gamut of society are now reacting vigorously against a President who is determined to fight this culture of corruption,’’ he added.

Lacierda, for his part, suggested that retired military officers – whom Trillanes had claimed were behind the plot – might be thinking that AFP is still under a corrupt administration.

“The retired officers have forgotten that this is already a professional organization. This is no longer the organization that they were used to. This administration is focused on improving the economy, improving the plight of its countrymen,” Lacierda said.

Administration lawmakers also dismissed the alleged coup plot saying it would not succeed.

“It will remain as that – just a rumor. Any plot against President Noy will not take off because he continues to enjoy wide and unprecedented support from the people,” Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said.

He said that whoever is behind the rumor, “should stop his foolishness because it is sending jitters to some sectors of the business community.”

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said any coup against Aquino is unlikely to succeed for lack of valid cause.

“Although I believe that any attempt to state a coup will not succeed for lack of a valid cause, it is still important that this report is looked into,” Evardone said.

“There is no compelling confluence of events to warrant a coup against PNoy,” he said.

Evardone though urged the military leadership to look into Trillanes’ information, which he described as reliable.

He urged soldiers to be wary of the “selfish and political interests” of those trying to talk them into going against the Aquino administration. 

Non issue

Muntinlupa City Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, chairman of the House committee on national defense and security, said he received information in November last year on alleged plan of some retired generals identified with Arroyo to agitate active officers.

“I got this information as the administration’s tuwid na daan (straight path) was in high gear and these generals were concerned that they might be investigated, I didn’t publicly announce what I learned because it (alleged destabilization plot) won’t progress at all,” Biazon said.

“There’s no issue against PNoy coming from the soldiers. Nobody’s going to follow them (retired generals). It’s simple as that,” said the former AFP chief.

Biazon said one of the meetings took place somewhere in Batangas. Biazon however advised the intelligence community to continue monitoring the situation.

“Since the situation is being closely monitored, there’s nothing to worry about,” he said.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) also dismissed the coup reports against Aquino.

“Normally, I do not believe in these rumors. I don’t know where they came from and what is the purpose of the report. But I think these kinds of reports, if there are indeed such plans, we should not easily believe them and not to be susceptible in believing that there really is (a coup plot),” said CBCP president Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

Palma said the coup rumors would only create uncertainty in the country and would not be beneficial to the people.

Substantiate reports

AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos, on the other hand, called for more information about the reports of a coup plot.

“My appeal for those who provided the information is to substantiate this report so that this would help the concerned agencies in further promoting peace and stability in our country,” he said. Burgos also asked Montano to name the soldiers allegedly behind the supposed ouster plot so they could be investigated.

Burgos maintained the military would always follow the chain of command and would not join any ouster plots.

“Ever since, there is no truth (to the claim) that there is a brewing (ouster) plot within the military organization,” Burgos said.

“I can assure (the public) that the Armed Forces of the Philippines is a professional organization and is solidly behind the leadership of the President,” he added.

Former President Fidel Ramos said that instead of worrying about the coup plot against Aquino, the administration should focus on the reported increase in military spending by China.

Ramos said he is more worried about the acceleration of the arms race between China and the United States.

Ramos expressed hope that the aspirations of countries in the Asia Pacific region for peace and stability would prevail and that no armed conflict would break out. “Because it (war) will destroy everything we have built up, it might even destroy mankind, for what analyst call – if there is such a war – MAD, mutually assured destruction,” he said. –With Paolo Romero, Jess Diaz, Evelyn Macairan, Rudy Santos