'August Moon' in September

“What ‘August Moon’? It’s already September!” With his witty retort on this much rumored coup plot dubbed as ‘August Moon,’ Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. shrugged it off as just one of those many coup talks that have been running the rounds with no end among coffee shop circles.

The rumored ‘August Moon’ coup plot is supposedly figured in (as masterminds) mostly by the members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1978, many of whom are now Generals and holding key positions in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The PMA Class ’78, whose members included Army chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit, Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena, Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) chief, Maj. Gen. Romeo Prestoza, AFP deputy chief of operations, Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Roberto Rosales, among some of them, are reportedly plotting a power grab within the AFP under this so-called ‘Oplan August Moon.’

Notably, two of the key players of the much rumored coup plot, namely, Bangit and Prestoza, headed one after the other the Presidential Security Group (PSG) of President Arroyo. All of them have earned their stars under their “mistah’s” administration to whom they have proven their loyalty and dedication to their Commander-in-Chief.     

But why PMA Class ’78? This is because they happen to have the President as their “adopted classmate.” As envisioned purportedly by this plot, the plotters would carry this out to let President Arroyo in power beyond her term that ends on June 30 next year. This plot allegedly plans to propel several members to key positions in the AFP by October, or a few months before the May 2010 presidential elections.

After it initially erupted in July this year, the alleged ‘August Moon’ plot did not come out of the dark skies of the country from that time on. It came to light again after former President Fidel V. Ramos made mention about persistent coup rumors involving PMA Class ’78.

In his latest unsolicited advice to the Arroyo administration, FVR issued his usual admonition against renewed military adventurism. He was also quoted in a newspaper report (not The STAR) as saying that PMA Class ’78 doesn’t have the loyalty of the majority of the uniformed personnel. FVR echoed his concern over the weekend during a freewheeling talk before a seminar for journalists in preparation for the election coverage next year.

Ironically, “August Moon” is feared as a coup plot being hatched in support of a bigger administration plot known as “No-El” or no election scenario. Such a scenario would naturally favor President Arroyo to stay longer in office. With all eyes set for the May 2010 national and local elections, the renewed coup talks are not gathering steam, so to speak, because members of the police and military forces are among those gearing up to run for elective posts.

No less than detained coup leaders of the botched ‘Oakwood’ mutiny headed by “Magdalo” officers are among those who have already signified their intentions to run for public office. Among them are Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Col. Querubin (Senate), while Lt. Sr. Grade James Layug, Captains Dante Langkit and Gary Alejano and Air Force Lt. Francisco Ashley Acedillo are running for local posts. Perhaps, they are inspired by the successful bids of Senators Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan and Antonio Trillanes IV. But their election into office would not erase whatever criminal liabilities they maybe later charged with.

Despite these posturing for next year’s elections, it appears FVR is unconvinced that the new crop of coup pals among the military have not abandoned their plot to keep themselves in power also. FVR is perhaps basing his fears from his own experience, having repelled nine putsches during his watch as AFP chief-of-staff and later as Defense Secretary under the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino.

The PMA Class of 1978 has given assurance that it would remain loyal to the Constitution and would not allow its members to be used for any unlawful actions such as a coup d’ etat and the rumored no-election or “no-el” scenario. As a former AFP chief-of-staff himself, they stated, FVR would not undermine the integrity of the military and the police by insinuating that soldiers are not loyal to the chain of command.

Adding fuels to renewed coup talks are the fears and concerns foisted on a possible “failure of elections” when the country holds its first ever automated polls. Members of Congress, however, are not taking any chances but have started working out possible legislation as contingency measures to ensure there will be no leadership vacuum in the country in case such a situation do occurs, God forbids!

Under the Constitution, those who can succeed the president are the vice president, Senate president and Speaker of the House of Representatives, in that order. Suggestions are being floated, using constitutional safeguards, to come up with an acceptable situation like a “transition” President. One such proposal is for the chief justice of the Supreme Court (SC) to be added in the line of the hierarchy of government officials in case of a vacancy of the Presidency until the next President is duly elected.      

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile stirred quite a hornet’s nest when he raised the possible role of the AFP and the PNP as the ones that would choose the nation’s transition leader in case President Arroyo’s successor is not proclaimed before June 30, 2010. The 85-year old Enrile, who served the longest as Defense Minister during the time of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, is not making empty talk. As he rightly pointed out, it is the police and the military that are mandated to implement and enforce the Constitution as the highest laws of the land.

The incumbent Defense Secretary himself is an “adopted” classmate of PMA Class 1976. Gibo, a certified pilot, is a Reserve Air Force Colonel. However, Gibo is the first to rule out such roles for the AFP and the PNP. Now that he will surely be “anointed” presidential standard-bearer of the administration, these undying coup talks would hopefully, finally lay to rest.