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By Jefferson Antiporda Reporter
The military has no plans to
disclose results of an inquiry made by its own fact-finding body
into alleged cheating participated in by senior military officers
during the 2004 elections.
This was how Lt. Gen. Alexander
Yano, Philippine Army chief and incoming Armed Forces Chief,
answered the question being asked of the military sector after the
Palace had said that it will back the reopening of the controversial
allegedly wiretapped conversations between Virgilio Garcillano Jr.,
a former poll commissioner, and President Gloria Arroyo.
President Arroyo allegedly asked
Garcillano for an assurance that she will receive one million votes
more than the opposition standard-bearer, Fernando Poe Jr. In other
parts of the conversations, other key military officers were also
mentioned.
The four military officers
implicated in the issue as their names were mentioned in the alleged
exchange were outgoing Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon
Jr., Lt. Gen. Roy Kyamko, retired Maj. Gen. Gabriel Habacon.
According to Yano, opening the
Mayuga Report to the public is irrelevant to the legitimacy of the
Arroyo administration because there is another process that will
determine its legitimacy.
“Even if that [report] is
released or not, that’s irrelevant as to legitimacy because there
are processes and [releasing the report] is not part of the
processes” said Yano, who is set to replace Esperon on May 9.
Retired Vice Adm. Mateo Mayuga
led the military command’s investigation in 2005 to look into
allegations that four senior military officers were involved in the
alleged cheating during the 2004 presidential polls.
Yano said he has no plans
to release the report to the public, even if he takes over as
military chief, as there is no reason to do so.
“If it’s not released now,
then what’s the reason for me to do it?,” he added when asked if
he would permit the release of the report.
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