FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Over a dozen retired military generals have called on public officials implicated in the pork barrel scam to take a leave of absence or resign while being investigated by authorities.
“Knowing the Filipino culture, they will say I am innocent, you prove it. But in Japan, they will commit hara kiri,” said retired general Rosalino Alquiza, former president of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO).
Alquiza noted how he admired the high sense of honor of the Japanese.
“But in the Philippines, it’s sad to say that we don’t have that culture,” he said.
Alquiza and 11 other retired generals recently formed the PMA Alumni Advocacy Group and released a manifesto calling for good governance.
“Our voice might be too meek and mild and people might not listen. But in the same manner, as people by the hundreds and thousands gathered in Luneta, they gather elsewhere to voice their sentiments. So even if we are only a handful, we are sure we represent our comrades,” Alquiza said.
According to Alquiza, his group still believes President Aquino is clean and that he means well.
“But the problem in this administration is, you may have a President who is clean but the people with him or under him may not be as clean. Some would say he is clean but he does not have the necessary leadership or management skill to be able to appoint the right people to the right job,” Alquiza said.
Aside from calling for the resignation of the public officials implicated in the scam, the two-page manifesto, among other things, urged President Aquino and Congress to abolish the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel in whatever form and for him to discontinue the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
The retired generals also asked Congress to provide the President with enough funds to be able to respond to calamities and other contingencies, subject to its oversight power.
The PMA Alumni Advocacy Group called on the judiciary to initiate reforms within its ranks to ensure speedy and impartial trials and for all public officials, including those in the military, police, and the Coast Guard to set the correct example in good governance, perform their duties as protectors of the people and the state, and not use their office as an opportunity to amass wealth illegally.
Alquiza, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1955, once served as a comptroller of the Ministry of Defense under then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, now a senator.
Aside from Alquiza, other retired generals in the group who signed the manifesto were Rene Leandro Ebro (PMA ’63), Jose Maria Solquillo (PMA ’65) and Fredelino Bautista (PMA ’66).
Other retired generals who were listed in the manifesto but whose signatures did not appear were Inquirer columnist Ramon Farolan (PMA ’56), Rafael Enriquez (PMA ’57), Alfredo Adriano Jr. (PMA ’58), Plaridel Abaya (PMA ’59), Carlos Agustin (PMA ’59), Galileo Kintanar (PMA ’60), Reynaldo Reyes (PMA ’64), Guillermo Cunanan (PMA ’66), Manuel Espejo (PMA ’66), Raul Urgello (PMA ’66), Mariano Santiago (PMA ’67), Alejandro Flores Jr (PMA ’72) and Victor Abat (PMA ’77).
Alquiza said that he and other retired generals have received a copy of the statement of the so-called Reformist Officers United (ROU), which began to circulate last September.
The ROU claimed to be comprised of officials from the military, police and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The statement’s signatories apparently used aliases.
“They may have used pseudonyms but the sentiments written there, I believe, are real,” Alquiza said.
In its statement, the ROU said: “For more than three long, unhappy years, PNoy has drifted, with neither will nor ability to govern, muddling through all our national crises, setting a record of corruptions (sic), plunder, incompetence, and clumsiness.”
Sought for comment, the military spokesperson, Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, said the retired generals were free to voice their opinions.
But Zagala said critics of the government must spare the military from politics.
“Based on facts gathered, there is no threat (against the government) but we don’t take this lightly,” Zagala said on the ROU.
“The military is solid and united behind the chain of command. We are confident in the professionalism of our soldiers. We remain true to our duty and our mission. Please spare us from all this,” Zagala said.
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