Gamus’ arrest order standard military procedure — Army

The arrest order issued by the Philippine Army for Col. Jose Gamus, deputy commander of the Army’s 901st infantry Brigade based in Daraga, Albay, is "standard military procedure," an army spokesman said yesterday.

"This action is a standard military procedure applied to all personnel violating certain Army regulations,"Army spokesman, Lt. Col. Buenaventura Pascual said.

Gamus was ordered arrested for committing acts inimical to the Army’s rules and regulations after he reportedly sided openly with the camp of opposition presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr.

Pascual, said the Army’s Provost Marshal has been directed to conduct an investigation on the alleged electioneering activities of Gamus.

Gamus, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class 1976, will be subjected to a military investigation for openly campaigning for Poe in Sulu province.

Early this year, Gamus reportedly applied for ordinary leave "to attend to personal and family concerns."

Pascual said Gamus’ leave from March 22 to June 15, was subsequently approved by his division commander but was cut short to May 15 after several field commanders in Mindanao reported Gamus’ alleged electioneering.

Pascual said Gamus has been informed about the arrest order and promised to report to his mother unit in Bicol to answer all the allegations leveled against him.

"Col. Gamus is aware of the arrest order and he said that he will report to HQ (headquarters) 9ID in Pili, Camarines Sur to explain his side and undergo investigation," Pascual said.

Gamus has reportedly accused fellow Army officers based in Mindanao of not respecting the true will of the people in the last elections.

He was apparently referring to the widescale electoral fraud committed by fellow Army officers by favoring the administration candidates in most military-sponsored counting of votes.