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By Anthony Vargas, Reporter
The Philippine Army commander on
Thursday warned groups that will try to exploit for their supposed
political ends the perceived political tension arising from the
latest allegations of corruption against the government.
The Army chief, Lt. Gen.
Alexander Yano, made the warning a day after two detained suspected
coup plotters praised Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada Jr. for his
“courage” in exposing alleged graft in the administration of
President Gloria Arroyo. Lozada had testified before the Senate on
alleged kickbacks for resigned poll Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. He
also implicated President Arroyo’s husband, lawyer Jose “Mike”
Miguel Arroyo, for having helped broker the contract for the
national broadband network project between the Philippines and
China’s ZTE Corp. Both have denied the charges.
“We will not allow any group or
individual to take advantage of the volatile situation of the
country today,” Yano read from a prepared statement during a news
conference at Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City,
Metro Manila.
“With conviction, I would say
that we are more than capable to thwart all attempts to destabilize
and overthrow the government,” he said.
On Wednesday, Brig. Gen. Danilo
Lim and Sen. Antonio Trillanes 4th, in a handwritten statement,
expressed hope that Lozada’s exposé would awaken Filipinos to
rise up against the government.
Lim is facing a court-martial for
the February 2006 foiled coup attempt. Trillanes is a leader of the
so-called Magdaló group of rebel junior military officers who
mounted the short-lived Oakwood mutiny in 2003. He was elected
senator in the 2007 elections. He and Lim are in jail for rebellion
charges.
Yano said the military will
continue to remain loyal to the duly constituted government and
adhere to the chain of the command.
“The Philippine Army soldiers
will remain apolitical and nonpartisan,” he added. “We will not
succumb to any pressure from antigovernment groups out to
destabilize the government.”
“Our loyalty remains with the
Constitution and the duly established chain of command and all the
way up to the Commander in Chief,” Yano said, referring to Mrs.
Arroyo.
He also warned soldiers thinking
of joining destabilization efforts against the government as he
reiterated that the military should shy away from political
partisanship.
“We will strictly impose the
laws that govern military discipline,” Yano said. “We are all
aware that any soldier who defies authority becomes an outlaw and a
disgrace to his uniform. Such will be dealt with drastically.”
The military was the deciding
factor in throwing out two sitting presidents, first, Ferdinand
Marcos in 1986, then Joseph Estrada in 2001.
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