Arrest of army colonel ordered

An Army spokesman said that arrest orders were issued for a colonel who was on leave but had actively campaigned for action star Fernando Poe Jr., the presidential candidate of the opposition.

"The headquarters of the Philippine Army initiated the issuance of arrest order to Col. Jose N. Gamus for committing acts inimical to Army rules and regulations," said Lt Col Buenaventura Pascual, Army spokesman.

"There were reports from field commanders that Col Gamus was openly campaigning for Fernando Poe Jr. in Sulu province," said Pascual, adding that the Philippine Army Provost Marshal was directed to conduct investigations on the allegations.

Pascual said that Col Gamus was aware of the arrest order and promised to report to the Army headquarters in Pili, Camarines Sur, to explain his side.

"Col Gamus has been found to be actively engaged in partisan politicking," said Ignacio Bunye, the spokesman of President Gloria Arroyo.

Noting the impact of the arrest order for Gamus, Armed forces Chief of Staff General Narciso Abaya said, "There is a grand effort of certain partisan groups to undermine the cohesiveness of the (military) and create dissension within our ranks as part of a political agenda."

Gen. Abaya also confirmed reports that several former generals were spotted in Mindanao before the May 10 polls.

In his application for a leave from March 22 to June 15, Col Gamus said that he wanted to attend to personal and family concerns. Authorities cut short his leave to May 15, due to his reported activities.

Gamus was designated deputy brigade commander in Daraga, Albay, in southern Luzon.

Earlier, Abaya called for a close monitoring of several retired military officers over their alleged plan to stage a right-wing rebel mutiny to destabilise the government after the May 10 polls.

The Armed Forces also started monitoring active members of the military who could be part of the alleged plot to destabilise the 130,000-strong Philippine armed forces.

Analysts said that Senator Gregorio Honasan, a former charismatic right wing rebel group who had staged several coup plots against former President Corazon Aquino from 1986 to 1989, has properly divided the military, making it a partisan government organisation.

Several exit polls said Arroyo would be the likely winner of the May 10 vote.

Responding to claims that the incumbent administration might be party to cheating, Arroyo said, "I am concerned over reports of localised cheating and isolated cases of violence that tend to undermine the image of Philippine democracy.

"I urge the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to thoroughly investigate all specific, substantiated cases of electoral fraud regardless of partisan involvement," she said.

– With inputs from Raffy Jimenez, Correspondent