Military opposes independent Mindanao Republic

By Ronron
July 1, 2005

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) vowed to quell efforts to establish an independent Mindanao Republic as reportedly suggested by local political leaders if another People Power uprising prosper in Metro Manila to unseat President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

"The AFP protects Philippine territorial integrity and will block any move to divide the country," Acting AFP Civil Relations Service chief Col. Gilberto Abanto said Friday in a statement.

Abanto was reacting to reports that southern Philippine leaders, among them Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, are calling for the setting up of a separate Mindanao if opposition groups stage another EDSA mobilization and succeed in removing the President from her post.

"The AFP will continue to safeguard the Constitution and uphold the rule of law," said Abanto.

Different anti-government groups have begun a series of protest actions in Metro Manila, particularly in the cities of Manila and Makati, to press the resignation of Arroyo following her admission last Monday of an act of impropriety by calling an elections officer even before the 2004 Presidential polls was completed.

The AFP and other authorities have repeatedly appealed for sobriety and calmness among the people and to leave instead everything to the Constitutionally-allowed processes as regards any possible liabilities of Arroyo.

"Our people should not allow themselves to be used by groups with political and ideological interests that threaten to destroy the peace and order situation in the country," Abanto said.

The AFP expressed fear that that different groups, including the communist terrorist New People’s Army, will take advantage of the situation by creating violence and chaos.

Nonetheless, "if the communist movement and other leftist groups decide to align themselves with the groups orchestrating destabilization efforts, the AFP will not hesitate to crush this unholy alliance," said Abanto.

The AFP said it is continuously monitoring the prevailing security situation, along with the Philippine National Police, as it expressed readiness to thwart any destabilization efforts that will be launched by anti-government efforts.

"The AFP has remained faithful to its core mission and mandated duty to defend and protect the country and the Filipino people," Abanto stressed.

The military leadership has consistently denied active AFP members are already breaking support and loyalty from Arroyo, their commander-in-chief, in light of the recent controversies hounding her administration.

"The AFP is an apolitical organization and its members do not engage in partisan politics, except to exercise the right to vote," said Abanto.

In light of allegations that the military took part in the massive fraud in last year’s polls, Abanto said the military would welcome any probe that will investigate the alleged involvement of several top AFP officials.

"Any AFP personnel found to have violated the country’s election code will be punished to the full extent of the law," said Abanto.

In the alleged taped conversation of Arroyo and Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano last May 28, 2004, the latter mentioned that then AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (J3) Maj. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon and AFP Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Roy Kyamko allegedly removed temporarily from his post Brig. Gen. Franciso Gudani as 1st Marine Brigade Commander because the latter was siding with Arroyo’s closest rival for the Presidency, Fernando Poe, Jr.

Esperon, who served then as deputy commander of the military’s Task Force HOPE (Honest, Orderly, Peaceful Elections), had denied the allegations, maintaining that there was definitely no cheating in Mindanao./DMS