By Paolo Romero
The Philippine Star; March 20, 2010

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang yesterday assured the public there would be no failure of elections this May but warned of a possible military takeover in the ensuing chaos arising from such an event.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Charito Planas said President Arroyo is definitely stepping down on June 30 and arrangements were already laid out for a peaceful turnover to the next chief executive.

Planas made the statement amid talks of a possible failure of the country’s first nationwide automated elections allegedly being orchestrated by the administration to prolong Mrs. Arroyo’s stay in power, starting with the appointment of her trusted generals to top posts in the military.

Planas noted that Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile issued a similar warning of a possible military junta taking over in the event of political turmoil arising from a failure to install a new president by June 30.

“It’s possible that the military would take over. That’s possible as military juntas have taken over in several countries in Southeast Asia,” Planas told a news briefing.

When asked whether the President is prepared to remain in office while waiting for the new president to be proclaimed, Planas said: “Let’s look at the Constitution.”

“It’s not the President who will say: ‘I want to remain here.’ It’s the situation and the Constitution that will dictate what will happen,” Planas said but did not elaborate.

Planas, however, stressed the possibility of a failure of elections occurring is extremely remote.

She said the public should not confuse delays or failures in the transmission or canvassing of voting results as failure of elections.

Once the votes are cast, the elections have successfully occurred, Planas said.

Even in past elections where votes were counted manually, Planas said the declaration of failure of elections was only limited to certain areas or polling precincts.

Presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo, for his part, said there has never been a general declaration of a failure of elections in the country’s political history.

“Even with the manual counting of votes. Now there will be automated counting in most precincts, with no more than 30 percent manual count in a worst case scenario, Hence, there is nil chance of failure,” Saludo said, citing the argument of election lawyer Romulo Macalintal.

Even in the face of ceaseless arguments that the May 10 elections is likely to fail, Saludo assured this would not happen.

“Our elections have never failed. Neither will the 2010 polls, even if all our votes are counted by hand,” Saludo said.

Malacañang earlier called on the public to support the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure the successful holding of peaceful and honest polls on May 10.

Critics had warned the power crisis in Mindanao is only the dry run of the plan to stage a failure of elections.

The opposition Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) of former President Joseph Estrada said Malacañang is exerting all efforts to allow Mrs. Arroyo to stay in power.

“And now that its end is near, the whole country is witnessing how this administration appears to be using every trick in the book to extend its hold on power even when our people are clearly eager to replace it through the ballot,” PMP spokesman Ralph Calinisan said.

Opposition Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Delfin Bangit would be forced to retain Mrs. Arroyo in power if a failure of election is declared on May 10 where no president and vice president are proclaimed.

Rodriguez said no one among her constitutional successors could serve as head of state since the terms of Vice President Noli de Castro, Senate President Enrile and Speaker Prospero Nograles will all lapse on June 30 along with Mrs. Arroyo.

For his part, Bangit said he would not go beyond his oath of providing security in case a failure of election occurs in May.

Bangit also appealed to critics to spare the military from political intrigues.

“I already made my statement. I won’t repeat it anymore. I have my oath and it will be to protect and to support the Constitution, nothing more, nothing less…I will not go beyond my oath,” he said.

AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, Jr. said the military has no intention of taking over the government in the event that no president is proclaimed or to lengthen President Arroyo’s stay in power.

“Our mandate is to provide security. In case there is a failure of elections, our mandate is very clear. We will come in to maintain peace and order. That’s all,” Brawner said.

Brawner said the AFP would only come in to help the Philippine National Police (PNP) restore order if a failure of elections is declared.

Brawner said such intervention by the military would ensure the constitutional provisions on succession would be upheld. – With Alexis Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano

By Jefferson Antiporda and Angelo Samonte

The Manila Times.Net; 24 January 2010

THE Magdalo group has joined the call for the term extension of General Victor Ibrado, saying it would be embarrassing for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) if the present administration would appoint a new chief of staff.

According to First Lt. Ashley Acedillo, Magdalo group spokesman, Ibrado’s extension could be the best solution as there is a big chance that the incoming administration would replace the new appointee.

Acedillo said it would not be good for the military institution if Army Chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit, one of the strongest candidates for Armed Forces’ top post, is appointed because of his connection with President Gloria Arroyo.

Bangit, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1978 that adopted the President, is said to be extremely loyal to Mrs. Arroyo.

“Deserving or not, he will always carry that over his head, and the AFP does not need that kind of baggage. [It is best] to insulate the AFP from such insinuations,” Acedillo added.

But Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President has not made any decision on the issue.

Asked if Bangit would take over if the President would allow Ibrado to retire, Ermita said “it is just speculations,” adding Mrs. Arroyo will consider the fact that there are officers more senior than Bangit.

“I have no idea of the plans of the president because she has not discussed this matter with us. But in principle, the President can extend the term of general officers and for that matter even the chief of staff,” he said.

Ermita said Mrs. Arroyo extended the term of the former Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon. The late President Corazon Aquino also extended the term of former Armed Forces chief Renato de Villa who served from 1988 to 1992.

If appointed, Bangit will bypass senior military officers of PMA Class of 1977, several of whom are strong contenders for the highest military position.

The President is barred from making new appointments two months before the election and until the end of her term on June 30.

The Magdalo spokesman said most of the military generals that would likely replace Ibrado, who is turning 56 and retiring in March, will stay only until after the elections. The next president can renew his appointment and make it permanent, or he may choose a new Armed Forces chief of staff.

“The next president who will most likely come from the opposition will definitely appoint a different chief of staff, so the best solution would be to extend the term of Ibrado,” Acedillo said.

Acedillo also noted that Ibrado’s extension would boost the confidence of the electorate and the people in general, because he is known to be professional and nonpartisan.

In a related development, Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales reminded the AFP of its role in the May election and that is to safeguard its sanctity and not to engage in partisan politics and more so in cheating.

The Defense chief emphasized to the military officers the need for the AFP to regain the people’s respect and trust in its
professionalism. He said this is the reason he had put the AFP at the full disposal of the Commission on Elections.

“In the coming election, we will be there. We will be performing our job. I want us to prove that the AFP is the true guardian of our democracy,” Gonzales explained.

To the Officers and Men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines:

Last Tuesday’s brazen railroading of the Con-Ass Resolution has erased whatever doubts we have about GMA’s true intention of holding on to power beyond 2010. This is not the first time she has trampled upon the Constitution we have all sworn to follow and respect. The EDSA Dos in 2001 was a coup d’etat that we, as an organization, took part in to oust a duly elected president. The 2004 election cheating, as exposed by the ‘Hello Garci’ tapes, was partly an AFP operation masterminded by the former Chief-of-Staff, Gen. Hermogenes Esperon. Countless other offenses have followed since.

GMA is determined and she will keep on ramming through every perceived obstacle there is, until she attains her much-coveted goal.

Now, only the collective will of the people with the support of the AFP can stop her.

I, therefore, call on every officer and enlisted man to follow your conscience and do what is right – PROTECT THE PEOPLE AND THE STATE!

God bless us all.

June 4, 2009