Army chief accused of favoring trainees

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes has been accused of interfering in the training of candidates for officer and playing favorites.

An unsigned statement circulating around Camp Aguinaldo alleged that Coballes favored a trainee who flunked the physical fitness tests and relieved the officers who administered them.

Coballes, however, said he is just being vilified by sectors that are against his “no maltreatment” policy.

“I’ve been telling people to do away with the maltreatment. We can make the course hard without any maltreatment,” he said in a press conference yesterday.

Coballes said the policy is part of the Army Transformation Roadmap, which seeks to produce disciplined and motivated soldiers.

Sources said the statement was referring to a certain Aaron Romualdez, a trainee of the Officer Candidate School. Coballes allegedly relieved four training officers from the OCS because of the favored trainee.

The statement also cited an instance wherein a group of trainees were misbehaving during a talk by their superiors.

Those who called the attention of the trainees were supposedly accused of harassment and reportedly made Coballes furious. The statement claimed one of the trainees who misbehaved is a godchild of Coballes.

Coballes was also accused of sending his staff to investigate training officers after his godchild fell ill.

Responding to the allegations, Coballes said his reforms in the Army training schools are being resisted by a few trainees and junior officers.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang said the Army could not instill discipline or competence among trainees if they are subjected to physical abuse.

“The philosophy of employing physical violence among trainees should be struck down, because the practice only breeds abusers and rights violators,” he said.