Soldiers in MM to remain despite criticisms

By Ronron
March 5, 2007

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Monday that it will retain its soldiers in Metro Manila who were earlier deployed since November of last year to conduct civil-military operations.

“The deployment will stay. As of now, there is no order for a pull-out,” AFP spokesman Maj. Gen. Jose Angel Honrado said yesterday in a phone interview.

Honrado reiterated the explanation of Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ben Dolorfino, commander of the AFP National Capital Region Command (NCRCom), last Saturday that the deployment is not related to the upcoming elections, particularly to launch campaigns against Left-leaning party-list groups like Gabriela.

“We maintain that it’s not election-related. Stop connecting it to the elections,” Honrado said.

Dolorfino had said that the deployment of 26 teams (of 10 members each) of civil-military operatives to urban poor and Moslem areas in Caloocan City, Quezon City, Manila City and Taguig City is meant at helping the local communities solve peace and order problems.

He admitted it is part of the AFP’s anti-insurgency campaign as it seeks to address the problems of the communities at their level to avoid them from being exploited by Left-leaning groups that are used to bringing the issues to the streets.

Dolorfino said that upon receipt of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) letter last Saturday, he immediately ordered the conduct of an investigation to find out if the soldiers deployed in MM are engaged in partisan politics by campaigning against the Left-leaning groups.

Gabriela had complained against the AFP at the Comelec for allegedly telling people not to vote for the group this coming May 14./DMS