Esperon raps plan to review report on alleged military’s role in 2004 poll fraud

MANILA, Philippines – Former Armed Forces Chief General Hermogenes Esperon on Thursday questioned the plans of President Benigno Aquino III to revisit the Mayuga Report which was the result of an inquiry into the alleged involvement of military officials in the supposed cheating in the 2004 elections to favor former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“What’s really the point? Wala ba silang tiwala sa mga senior officers ng armed forces noon na nagimbestiga niyan? (Don’t they trust the senior officers of the armed forces then who conducted the investigation?),” Esperon said in a telephone interview.

When asked if the Quino administration was being vindictive against the Arroyo administration, Esperon said: “You be the judge.”

Nevertheless, the retired general said he would cooperate with authorities if Aquino orders another investigation.

“If that is their decision then I cannot do anything about that except to again repeat my statements that I’ve given to the board,” Esperon said, referring to the original board members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines fact-finding committee chaired by Navy chief Vice-Admiral Mateo Mayuga.

Aside from Esperon, the Mayuga report also cleared retired officials Major General Gabriel Habacon, Marine Brigadier General Francisco Gudani and Lieutenant General Roy Kyamko, collectively dubbed as the “Garci generals”.

He added that though he does not see where a reopening of the case may lead, he would be willing and ready to testify once again.

“There was even an investigation by congress so I do not know what this, all these things will lead to but…I’m ready,” Esperon said.

Esperon was the head of Task Force Hope (Honest, Orderly, Peaceful Elections) which was responsible for maintaining peace and order during the 2004 elections.

“I’m proud of the work that we have done as members of the armed forces and of the Task Force Hope,” Esperon said.

He reiterated that the military did its job in protecting the ballots in 2004.

“To the best of my mind, and as far as I know ang armed forces ay ginawa nya ang kanyang magagawa at makakayanan upang maging maganda yung halalan (the armed forces did its best and everything in its ability for the election to go smoothly),” Esperon said.

“We lost the lives of soldiers defending the sanctity of the ballots in 2004 and if only in their name, then I will tell again the whole world that the armed forces really guarded the sanctity of the ballots in 2004,” he added.