NSA Gonzales formally takes over as acting Defense Secretary, says will confront typhoon problems over other matters

By Ronron
July 2, 2007

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales formally assumed on Monday as Officer-in-Charge of the Department of National Defense after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered over the weekend the recall of Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

But Gonzales said that since he only has a month to act as Defense Secretary, he might not have the time to institute programs and projects that will address internal security problems and other defense issues.

“I was briefed by the staff of Secretary Ebdane yesterday (Sunday), I didn’t expect there are so many jobs of the SND (Secretary of National Defense). So, I cannot tell you where my priorities will be, except that three typhoons are coming (in July),” Gonzales told reporters after his formal takeover.

“I will be here for only a month and after getting that briefing… I will be Mr. Disaster. So, the first thing to prioritize is pre-positioning of assistance. Let us not wait for the typhoon to happen before we act,” he added.

As acting Defense Secretary, Gonzales will also be chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). Last Friday, the government weather station warned of the three weather disturbances forecast to hit the country starting this month until October.

Gonzales will hold the post in a temporary capacity since the permanent Defense Secretary appointee, former Tarlac Congressman Gilberto Teodoro, Jr., will only be available for the post on August 3, said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita who presided over yesterday’s turn over rites at Camp Aguinaldo.

Asked what he can accomplish in a month’s time, Gonzales said: “Not much. I don’t think I can do much except really to continue what Secretary Ebdane is already doing.”

But in his speech during the ceremonies, Gonzales challenged the Defense establishment, particularly the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to counter the efforts of “enemies of the State” to discredit the government.

“We are accused of extrajudicial killings. This can’t be allowed to happen. I would like to assure the men and women in uniform that we won’t allow the enemies of the State to deceive our people,” he said, apparently referring to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

Asked during the interview to expound on this, Gonzales said: “We will help in achieving a proper investigation… We have to speak. We have to show what we are doing. A lot of our officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines are quietly doing a lot of good things for this country.”

He said relatives of victims of extrajudicial killings should be encouraged to speak up so that the truth of every case is known. Gonzales lamented at how Karapatan allegedly prevented some relatives of extrajudicial killing victims from testifying during the probe of the Melo Commission.

“Some quarters are saying that the government is behind these killings. You know for a fact that for every killing that happens, the reputation of government is damaged. So why will we do something like that?,” Gonzales said.

He said that more than placing the government and country in a bad light, every killing is disrespect to life. “These individuals that are being killed, regardless of their political persuasions, are Filipinos. This is very, very tragic for our country. This has to be addressed and I think unnecessarily blaming certain institutions will not give us the truth,” said Gonzales.

Asked if he will initiate moves for the proscription of the CPP-NPA in the government’s terrorists list once the Human Security Act of 2007 takes effect on July 14, Gonzales said: “Are we forgetting that Jose Ma. Sison, the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army are labeled terrorists by the European community? So, we will study that very seriously.”

But he conceded that he might not have the time as Defense Secretary to work on the proscription of the CPP-NPA.

Gonzales said that among the programs and projects of Ebdane that he will continue to work on are the review of the current Maritime Law of the country, and the existing Defense arrangements of the country with other countries like Australia and Singapore.

He said he also asked Ebdane that they work together “in formulating what we will be recommending to the next DND Secretary.”/DMS