GMA's Game of Musical Chairs in the AFP (tags)
PESANTE NEWS based in Los Angeles learned today through news sources in Manila that some questions are circulating at the AFP. Will there be a new face at the helm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) by March or will President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo stick it out with current military chief Gen. Victor Ibrado? Ibrado is due to retire on March 10, the day before the election appointments ban takes effect. The president is barred from making new appointments two months before the elections and until the end of her term.
No to military offensive in Mindanao (tags)
Bishops from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) yesterday cautioned the Arroyo government on engaging in an all-out military offensive against the Muslim rebels and bandits in Mindanao, saying such action could have repercussions on the “peace-building” efforts of the inter-religious groups in the region. “Conflicts cannot be resolved simply by military might. Conflicts can be solved by mutual understanding,” CBCP president Angel Lagdameo said during the 12th Asia Pacific Policy Forum on the “Role of Youth in Peace Building” held yesterday at the Australian Embassy at RCBC Plaza in Makati City. The event was attended by Australian officials led by Ambassador Rod Smith, student leaders, CBCP president Lagdameo, CBCP chairman on Inter-Religious dialog Antonio Ledesma, members of academe and non-government organizations.
New AFP chief dared to bring abusive military personnel before Congress (tags)
Taking cue from the statement of newly-installed Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Alexander Yano to make good his promise to turn over to civilian authorities military personnel involved in abusing military detainees, opposition lawmaker Rep. Teofisto Guingona III yesterday challenged the latter to fulfill his promise by turning over erring personnel to the House committee on human rights. “Bring those erring officers before the committee on human rights of the House of Representatives so that we may know the truth,” Guingona said.
Moro group hits GMA’s ‘timeline’ to end rebellion in Mindanao (tags)
A ranking official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front-Central Committee has criticized President Arroyo for her recent speech at the local Peace and Security Assembly in Mindanao where she reiterated her 2010 “timeline to end armed rebellion” in the region without specifically stating the current government-MILF peace process as the main component.
AFP High Fallutin Blusters, Empty Threats (tags)
The US-Arroyo Regime in its first command conference January this year with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), claimed that that it dismantled 13 guerrilla fronts of the revolutionary movement in 2007 and are set to dismantle 30 more this year. This is contrary to open admission made by the head of the AFP's military operations, Maj. Gen. Joji Leo Fojas, that only three guerrilla fronts have been dismantled, as of October last yea
Significant NPA victories in 2007, more and bigger victories eyed in 2008 (tags)
The revolutionary movement i n thePhilippines today said the New People's Army (NPA) "achieved significant military victories the past year, portending more and bigger successes in response to the Party's anniversary call to accelerate advances in 2008." "Based on our summary of still very partial reports received from the field, clearly the revolutionary forces have gained significant victories in waging guerrilla warfare. Foremost is the defeat of the military campaigns launched by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) this year to date," said CPP spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal.
Military officers involved in last year’s coup plot ordered detained (tags)
— Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. ordered the detention here of all the military officers involved in last year’s foiled coup attempt. Esperon effectively wanted all those implicated in the power grab detained in one facility, directing the various commands to relinquish custody of the 28 officers charged before the General Court Martial to effectively acquire jurisdiction over them. The announcement came after the arraignment of the 28 accused officers was rescheduled after defense lawyers demanded to see a copy of the pre-trial investigation.
Esperon says no quarter for NPA (tags)
Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, the new Armed Forces chief of staff, on Friday vowed to crush the communist rebellion during his term. Esperon, former Army chief, became the AFP’s 35th chief of staff. He replaced Gen. Generoso Senga, who retired Friday. He said he would lead efforts to foil attempts to vilify the AFP as an institution. The government has a two-year plan to defeat the communist New People’s Army.
Esperon’s marching orders: Crush Reds (tags)
President Arroyo has given incoming Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon his marching orders: Crush the 37-year-old communist rebellion and the groups plotting to destabilize the administration.