World | Philippines
Armed forces chief vows loyalty to constitution
Armed forces chief General Hermogenes Esperon affirmed the military's loyalty to the constitution on Saturday ahead of massive rallies scheduled in coming days demanding President Gloria Arroyo's resignation.
- By Rafael Juan, Correspondent
- Published: 01:13 February 24, 2008
Manila: Armed forces chief General Hermogenes Esperon affirmed the military's loyalty to the constitution on Saturday ahead of massive rallies scheduled in coming days demanding President Gloria Arroyo's resignation.
"As the Armed Forces of the Philippines [AFP] joins the whole nation in commemorating the spirit of EDSA [the People's Power uprising of 1986], we assure the Filipino nation of our unequivocal allegiance to our flag and Constitution and gives its word not to engage in any partisan political exercise," Esperon said in a statement.
"We, your soldiers, will remain steadfast to our adherence to the chain of command in our pursuit to safeguard democracy, secure our territory and sovereignty and most of all our countrymen," said Esperon, who earlier vowed the military's apolitical stance over the renewed political turmoil amid the controversy generated by the ZTE-national broadband deal issue.
"The AFP believes that our democratic way of life is worth dying for while it aspires that our civil society will always be there to denounce the use of violence in pursuit of any political aspirations," he said.
"It has been proven time and again that the more that the military intervenes, the more that democratic institutions weaken. Let us believe in reasonable Senate hearings," he said, referring to the Senate inquiry on the NBN-ZTE deal.
Esperon appealed to the people to allow the Senate to continue conducting an inquiry on the deal and subsequently file charges before the courts or make the necessary legislation.
"Let us believe in the courts and the Ombudsman. Let us believe in peaceful assemblies. Let us believe in our democratic processes," he said.
"Let us uphold our democratic ideals and not weaken it. Help your AFP ensure that these democratic institutions and processes could freely function, devoid of undue pressures from vested interest groups, instead of instigating the military of usurping the function of these institutions," he said.
The armed forces is preparing to confront the rallies being staged by civil society and left-wing groups to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the EDSA.
- With inputs from Gilbert Felongco
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