Gloria woos troops amid rice woes, destab plot

April 18, 2008

In an apparent bid to convince soldiers not to break the chain of command and continue to support the government amid increasing prices of basic commodities and “destabilization” efforts led by fugitive Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon against the Arroyo administration, President Arroyo yesterday said access to cheaper rice would be available to soldiers and their families to ensure that they would be able to afford the staple.

In her speech during the Fellowship Meeting of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, she said they are enlisting the Armed Forces to be an outlet for distributing cheaper rice to the ordinary soldiers and their families who are “after all among the less privileged in our society.”

The President also thanked retired and active generals and flag officers for their continued support to the rule of law and the Constitution.

“Because you have supported the rule of law, because you have supported the Constitution, we were able to make the tough decisions to raise revenues for our economy, revenues that we are now using for securing the right supply, for doing the proper distribution and for doing the appropriate enforcement,” Mrs. Arroyo said.

“And beyond the rice situation, because you have helped and influenced the people to support the Constitution and the rule of law, we’re able to invest in human and physical infrastructure. We’re able to cut down on corruption and red tape so that we will have an environment where business will invest and where they will create jobs because ultimately, that is the way that we fight poverty,” she added.

A Palace official, for her part, said Malacañang is confident that Faeldon does not pose a threat to the stability of the Arroyo presidency despite his vowed to fight the alleged “illegitimate” government.

Deputy presidential spokesman Lorelei Fajardo, during a chance interview, said the government is not threatened over the supposed interview of Faeldon, who escaped military and police cordon at the height of the Manila Peninsula Hotel standoff in Makati City late last year.

“We are on top of the situation. The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) is in control, so Captain Faeldon is not a threat on us,” she said.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye echoed the same, saying the President need not give a directive to the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to rearrest Faeldon.

“The AFP and the PNP need not a specific directive to arrest Captain Faeldon. Our authorities know what to do to arrest this fugitive from justice,” he said.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita appealed to the public for understanding on the failure of the police and military to arrest Faeldon.

“Intelligence is a tedious job. If they spotted him (Faeldon) he would be arrested, but the fact is that our authorities have not yet identified his (Faeldon) whereabouts,” he said.

Ermita added the intelligence team of the AFP and PNP were working round the clock to locate and arrest Faeldon.

The Arroyo government, with the help of the Chief Executive’s trusted generals, has put down two military mutinies in the past. AFP

By Sherwin C. Olaes

source: http://tribune.net.ph/headlines/20080419hed6.html

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