Trillanes: Retired officers recruiting military men in active duty

MANILA, Philippines–Using the so-called “red scare” tactic, retired military officers have been allegedly recruiting active personnel apparently to use against the Aquino administration, Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV revealed on Monday.

But Trillanes told Senate reporters in a phone patch interview there was no plot yet to stage a coup but that the recruitment is ongoing. “Walang plot pa. May nagre-recruit pero hindi naman kinakagat (There’s no plot. They are recruiting but no one is biting it),” he said.

“Ito yung mga natanggal sa poder ng kapangyarihan na gustong bumalik. Ang ginagamit nilang recruitment line is…komunista na yung gobyerno (These are the people who were removed and now want to return to power. They are using a recruitment line that this government has become communist). The usual red scare tactic,” Trillanes said.

Trillanes said he learned about this recruitment from military officials who had been approached by these retired officials, who he refused to identify.

The senator said he had already informed the Aquino administration about this recruitment as early as last year.

But Trillanes, who led a failed coup against then President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, doubts whether any coup attempt now would succeed, saying the Aquino administration has not committed any wrongdoing.

Despite this, the senator advised the Aquino government to activate its counter-intelligence units to

avert any possible coup attempt by some disgruntled groups.

“At the same time, mag-information campaign sa Armed Forces kung ano nangyayari, anong ginagawa nila as far as the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) is concerned or as far as governance in general is concerned,’ said Trillanes.

There should also be a venue, Trillanes added, for soldiers to vent out their grievances, which the government should immediately address.