Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe yesterday reminded officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to remain apolitical and refrain from engaging in partisan politics during the May 2016 elections.

Poe made the call after reports circulated that Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer and former Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, one of her rivals in the presidential race, met with active military and police generals in Quezon City.

“Pakiusap ko lang, siyempre, sa PNP at sa military, hindi lamang dahil kandidato ako kundi dahil ito’y naaayon sa ating batas na sila ay dapat maging neutral, lalong-lalo na sa araw ng halalan at sa panahon ng kampanya (My appeal to the PNP and the military, not because I am a candidate, but because under the law they are required to be neutral especially during the day of the elections and during the campaign period),” Poe said at the sidelines of a political rally in Valenzuela City.

“Sapagkat ang una nilang responsibilidad ay tiyakin ang kaligtasan ng lahat at hindi lamang ng iilang partido (Because their primary responsibility is to ensure everyone’s safety and not just selected political parties),” she said.

The reports alleged that a Roxas staff member was spotted meeting with four police officials in civilians clothes. The four police generals were identified as Director Generoso Cerbo Jr., head of the Directorate for Intelligence; and Chief Superintendents Renier Idio, Bernardo Diaz, and Ronald Santos.

Idio is the regional director of the Cagayan Valley police, while Diaz heads the Western Visayas regional police office. Santos is deputy regional director for administration for Calabarzon.

The closed-door meeting happened at the Novotel Hotel at the Araneta Center owned by the Roxas family. The four police officials were also reportedly seen in the company of retired police official Marcelo Garbo Jr., former PNP deputy chief for administration.

The group allegedly met to discuss measures to ensure the conduct of the May 9, 2016 elections would be orderly and peaceful.

“Well, I do hope so that that what they discussed is for everyone’s benefit. I really do not know what the meeting was all about, but I really believe that police and military officials must refrain from getting involved in anything related to campaign and elections, unless it is only to ensure that the exercise would be fair, clean and safe,” she said in Filipino.

Poe said she hopes the Aquino government would heed the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) warning that uniformed personnel are also barred from campaigning for or against particular candidates.

“Not only the President, but everyone in government. Just because they are the ones in power doesn’t mean they should hold them under their influence for their own benefit,” she said.

“Because their mandate is not to serve themselves but the people,” she stressed.

‘Don’t meddle in politics’

Meanwhile, in an interview, Escudero challenged PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez to be non-partisan and to stay away from politics.

“My appeal to PNP Chief Marquez, don’t meddle in the election. He does not have the right to meddle and favor any candidates. He took an oath to ensure that this election will be fair and most of all, credible,” he said in Tagalog.

Escudero also questioned the Liberal Party’s silence on the alleged LP meeting with the generals.

“I wondered why they kept silent about this because even in a small issue, their spokesperson has always things to say, but in this serious and big matter, they are mum,” he said.

Marquez had earlier directed a probe on the alleged meeting. He asked four of his generals to explain their presence in the meeting, which was attended by a certain Thea Reyes, a staff of former DILG chief and LP standard-bearer Mar Roxas.

Also sighted attending the meeting were Ret. Army General Reynaldo Ardo, Ret. PNP Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo and was Maj. Gen. Oscar Lactao, the recently appointed inspector general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Cerbo, Idio, Diaz, Santos and Lactao are members of Philippine Military Academy “Maharlika Class” of 1984 which adopted Roxas as honorary member.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Hannah Torregoza

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