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THE
Armed Forces is closely following the developments in
the political front but assured that it will never break
away from the duly constituted government.
“We must
know the truth behind these allegations, charges and
counter-charges…it’s simply that, being enlightened on
all of these things,” Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Armed
Forces chief of staff, said.
Esperon
said the soldiers also want to know the truth behind the
charges and counter-charges over the issues affecting
the administration, including the controversial deal for
the construction of a national broadband network (NBN)
with China’s ZTE Co. in order for them not to be
distracted from their tasks.
“Amid
all the noise, charges, counter-charges…I don’t think we
should act irrationally. In other words, we also want to
be enlightened about the issues,” Esperon said.
“We want
our officers to understand the issue, we want our
officers to explain it to their men because you cannot
shield us from the information that you give us, the
media is all over,” he added.
Esperon
said the troops do not want to be distracted from their
duties, and to do so, they must know the truth behind
all the allegations and counter-charges.
He added
that the military will remain apolitical “for as long as
it takes,” as that is for the best interest of the
country.
Esperon,
however, agreed that the issue of corruption, which led
to the ouster of former President Ferdinand Marcos in
1986 and former President Joseph Estrada in 2001, is now
the same issue that is being thrown against President
Arroyo.
Acting
chairman Romulo Neri of the Commission on Higher
Education, on Thursday called for a year of “social
peace” among political leaders.
“I urge
our political leaders to declare one year of social
peace so we can focus on the real solutions to our
nation’s deeply rooted problems,” Neri said in a
statement.
He added
that political leaders should also abandon the politics
of “hate and go.”
Instead,
Neri said “the politics of hope and progress wherein the
people can observe human decency and respect for the
dignity of our fellow man” should be welcomed.
Neri was
then the socioeconomic- planning secretary when the
allegedly overpriced NBN contract with ZTE was approved.
Rodolfo
Noel Lozada Jr., the key witness in the Senate’s inquiry
into the aborted $329.48-million NBN project, testified
that Neri has knowledge of former Commission on
Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos’ attempt to pad the
contract by $130 million.
Sen. Mar
Roxas II, meanwhile, called on the “private source” who
gave the P500,000 that Deputy Executive Secretary Manuel
Gaite gave to Lozada to come out and claim the money
from the Senate.
”This
private ‘donor” must offer proof of ownership and be
prepared to explain to the Senate the circumstances
behind his or her donation,” Roxas said.
“If the
donor was only acting out of the goodness of his heart,
then he or she has nothing to fear,” he added. |
