Retired generals’ group opposes revgov proposal
AGROUP composed of retired senior police and military officials are opposing a proposal for a revolutionary government being pushed by die-hard supporters of President Duterte, even as National Police chief General Archie Gamboa ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to investigate those behind the movement to change the current form of government.
The Advocates for National Interest (ANI), whose members include former chiefs of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Navy, said the country must “remain united under one flag, one Constitution.”
“We oppose any initiative from any sector that will undermine the Constitution of the Philippines,” the group said in a statement issued on Wednesday through former Magdalo Rep. Ashley Acedillo.
“We are against the establishment of a revolutionary form of government because it is baseless, illegal and will only add to the suffering of our people,” the group said, whose members include former AFP chiefs of Staff Rodolfo Biazon, Renato de Villa, Eduardo Oban, Alexander Yano, Emmanuel Bautista and Victor Ibrado, former PNP chief Recaredo Sarmiento and former Navy chief Vice Admiral Emilio Marayag.
“It seeks to bring about major changes in the institutions of our country, including the legislative and the judiciary through authoritarian undemocratic means. It will produce bigger problems than what it tries to solve,” the group added.
The retired police and military officials said the country does not need the revolutionary government that is being moved by the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-national Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRDNECC), especially now that Filipinos are in the middle of crises borne by the pandemic, corruption and security.
“We deeply sympathize with our people for the suffering and the damage to the national economy brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. This challenging situation is exacerbated by the government’s struggle to battle corruption, to preserve our national security, and contain other ills that face our countrymen,” they said.
Among the other members of ANI are former Ambassador Ramon Farolan, and former Rep. Plaridel Abaya and a number of retired military officials that include Maj. Gen. Melchor Rosales, Commodore Plaridel Garcia, Col. Niceto Festin, Renato Valencia, Col. Guillermo Cunanan, Col. Mariano Santiago, Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan, Col. Alejandro Flores and Brig. Gen. Eliseo Rio.
Gamboa issued his order against the officials and members of the MRRD-NECC following the latter’s call for a revolutionary government, with Duterte still as its head.
Over the weekend, hundreds of the group’s members gathered at Clark in Angeles, Pampanga, where they signed a manifesto calling for a change in government, prompting Gamboa to declare that the PNP is closely monitoring the proponents behind the movement. The PNP chief cried foul over the move of the group in extending an invitation for him to attend its meeting at Clark and later leaked it to the media in order to make it appear that he was part of it.
The same invitation was also extended to AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who earlier said that they do not support the group.
“I was informed that letters were sent out to several government agencies inviting us to attend their supposed assembly. The information was then leaked to the media making it appear that we were involved, or worse, that we consented to it,” said Gamboa on Tuesday night.
“Political stunts such as this are ill-timed considering that we are in the midst of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. I have directed the CIDG to investigate the individuals behind it and to determine if there is any basis to file criminal charges leading to a possible arrest,” he added.