HEAVILY GUARDED GMA
ATTENDS ESPERON'S INSTALLATION
MANILA, JULY
22, 2006 (STAR) By Jaime Laude - As
snipers kept watch on rooftops, Presidential Security Group (PSG) troops in full
battle gear surrounded President Arroyo while she formally installed Lt. Gen.
Hermogenes Esperon as the new Armed Forces chief in ceremonies at Camp Aguinaldo
in Quezon City yesterday.
Heavily armed PSG soldiers guarded all streets leading to Camp Aguinaldo.
Reports said military officers set to face a military trial over their alleged role in the supposed failed coup last Feb. 24 had planned to come out in public and air their grievances while Mrs. Arroyo was in Camp Aguinaldo.
The STAR learned that the officers, mostly from the First Scout Ranger Regiment and the Philippine Marines, met yesterday morning to discuss plans of their coming out in time for the turnover of command rites for Esperon and outgoing Armed Forces chief Gen. Generoso Senga.
However, the proverbial cooler heads reportedly prevailed.
The military officers are denouncing the recommendation of an ad hoc investigation committee for them to face military trial and possible dismissal from the service.
Chaired by Rear Adm. Rufino Lopez, the ad hoc committee has recommended that 15 Marine and 25 Scout Ranger officers, along with 125 enlisted personnel, be tried in a military court.
Among the senior officers to face trial are former Marine Commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, former Scout Ranger brigade commander Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, former 1st Marine Division commander.
PSG troops barred a veteran defense reporter from proceeding to the media coverage area in front of the military grandstand.
"Ngayon lang nangyari to, sa dami-dami ng mga command turnover ceremony ang na-attend ko (This is the first time this has happened in the many turnover ceremonies that I have attended)," the defense reporter said.
On the other hand, a television cameraman said: "Natural lang na may mga PSG kung saan si President, pero ito halos kalahati na ng puersa ng PSG ay andito ngayon (It’s natural for the PSG to be there when the President is in a particular place, but almost half of the PSG force is here right now)."
A military insider claimed that while the turnover of command ceremonies were held at Camp Aguinaldo, the protesting military officers were having a bull session somewhere at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.
"Wala rin namang nangyari, naglabasan lang pala sila ng mga sama ng loob (Nothing happened, they just voiced out their grievances)," he said.
However, the insider said there was a point during the bull session that some officers suggested that they call a press conference to announce their defiance of the country’s leadership.
Two officers among the group reportedly prevailed over the others not to push through with their plan of coming out in public to air their grievances.
In front of the grandstand, a PSG soldier stopped and checked a man sporting the same long sleeve barong he was wearing, complete with PSG signs and counter-signs.
The man in question turned out to be another PSG soldier detailed as a security aide of a government dignitary attending the command turnover ceremonies.
"Kilala mo ba yong katabi mo kanina (Did you know the person beside you)?" a PSG personnel asked The STAR, referring to the other PSG personnel who had mixed themselves with reporters in the designated media security area.
Southcom will be split into two commands — Esperon By James Mananghaya The Philippine Star 07/22/2006
To maximize the government offensive against communist rebels in Mindanao, newly installed Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon ordered the division of the military’s Southern Command into two major units.
In an interview with reporters shortly after the turnover of command ceremonies at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday, Esperon bared his directives as he formally took over as the 35th Armed Forces chief from Gen. Generoso Senga, who retired from the service on reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.
Following the formal turnover ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo, Esperon expressed his plans to divide Southcom into Southwestern and Southeastern Commands.
Esperon said that one of these units would be utilized in the full offensive against the communist New People’s Army while the other unit will maintain peace and order in known hotbeds of terror groups.
"Southcom is characterized by strong presence of secessionist movement which is now under control but we have some terrorists that we have to address," Esperon said.
Southcom chief Maj. Gen. Gabriel Habacon said he will be ready to implement the new plan.
"That is a decision of our new chief of staff and we are ready to follow as ground implementors," Habacon said.
He said the creation of another area command will give the military more focus in its offensive against the NPA.
Although Southcom had gained the upper hand in the offensive, Habacon stressed the need for sustained offensive against other armed groups and terrorists operating in Mindanao.
"The present area command of Southcom can also focus in the anti-terror campaign in the western side of Mindanao," he said.
Esperon said the plans would be finalized in the first week of August with the appointment of the respective chiefs of the new commands.
"As soon as possible, probably within the first week of August we will come up with the final delineation, the wordings of these have been going on under the term of General Senga," he said.
Esperon explained the split of Southcom is necessary for better control of the troops and to put more focus in the fight against the NPA in the eastern part of Mindanao.
Southcom, which has responsibility over the whole of Mindanao, is composed of three Army divisions, two joint task forces, two naval forces, a tactical operations wing of the air force, two elite Special Forces Battalions, and one company of troops from the Light Reaction Battalion.
He said there would be some redeployment of troops where their presence is mostly needed.
"There will be emphasis, there will be additional recruitment as of now but we will shift the forces as needed," Esperon said.
The number of troops for redeployment will entirely depend on tactical conditions in the area of operations in Mindanao, he said.
Former Armed Forces chief general Narciso Abaya, president and chief executive of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said there had been an informal division of operational responsibility in the Southcom with the Philippine National Police (PNP) during his term.
Considering the size of the Southcom and its area of responsibility, Abaya said its previous commanders found it difficult to command a large force with multiple assignments.
Abaya agreed Southcom should be divided into two commands with a delineation of responsibility and missions.
"I think the vast area of Mindanao being under one commander is a little beat unwieldy," Abaya said.
Abaya said the primary reason for the division of the Southcom is to carry out the presidential order against the NPA in a two-pronged approach.
"Dividing Mindanao into Eastern and Western commands will give focus to that area command to campaign against the communists in northeastern Mindanao," Abaya added.
Official sources disclosed the new area command will be situated in Davao City with the 10th Army Division.
This means that the 4th Army Division and the 10th Division will form part of the new area command while the 6th and 1st Army divisions will remain under Southcom. — With Roel Pareño, Jaime Laude