Esperon willing to help discharged Magdalo officers get new jobs

By Ronron
December 18, 2007

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. said Tuesday that he is willing to help Magdalo officers who will be discharged next month from the service to get new jobs.

Interviewed at the AFP Hospital in Quezon City, Esperon said he has seen the group of 54 junior Magdalo officers, who will be discharged on January 27, 2008 after being sentenced by a General Court Martial (GCM) early this year, “show remorse” and “capacity and willingness to pursue other lines of work.”

“I wish them luck. I have expressed my willingness to be their job placement agency, for those that I would like to vouch for,” Esperon said.

“I’m sure the others can look for jobs where they could apply their expertise or work their skills,” he added.

The 54, with ranks ranging from Captain to Second Lieutenant, were among the estimated 300 military personnel who took over the Oakwood Hotel last July 27, 2003 to express their disgruntlement over the military and government leadership.

They include eight Air Force officers, 19 Navy officers, 14 Marine officers, and 13 Army officers.

In April of this year, the GCM sentenced the 54 after pleading guilty to charges of violating Articles of War 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline) in exchange for the dropping of charges of violation of AW 63 (Disrespect to the President, et. al), 64 (Disrespect to Superior Officers), 67 (Mutiny), and 96 (conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman).

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo approved the verdict and penalties on the 54 two months later.

“They are expected to be released January 27, 2008 when they shall have served seven years and six months, minus three years for the mitigating circumstances,” Esperon said yesterday.

Esperon said he expects the 54 not to engage anymore in adventurism and join instead the “mainstream Philippine society,” citing their credentials as “college graduates, computer literates, have a lot of skills,” which will make them “very useful citizens of the land.”

Told that there were members of the more than 180 Magdalo enlisted personnel who still rebelled against the government despite being accepted back to the service after their case was decided by the GCM in May 2005, Esperon said: “Yes, there were some of them who jointed at the Manila Peninsula (incident last November 29). But they are the small, very small minority.”

“Most of the enlisted personnel who were discharged or demoted in connection with the Oakwood did not join anymore because they know they will be abandoned again, just like what happened now,” he went on.

But seeing the 54 to have become “very much reformed and prepared well for life outside the military,” Esperon said he does “not want to look at them as threats” to society.

“There are already people who have signified their intention to hire them. So what matters now is since they will be removed from the service, then they really have to earn for their families’ keep also,” Esperon said.

When asked who he is vouching for among the officers, Esperon refused to name names.

As to chances that these officers could return to the service, Esperon just said: “There are studies on that but we do not want to discuss that.”/DMS