AFP REMINDED ANEW NOT TO ENGAGED IN PARTISAN POLITICS

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Nene Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today warned the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against allowing itself to be used again for partisan purposes in the forthcoming national and local elections.

Pimentel issued the warning after his office received reports that the First Marine Brigade will be pulled out of the Lanao del Sur/Lanao del Norte Area, and replaced by the Army.

He said that people of Marawi City (capital of Lanao del Sur), in particular, have expressed reservations over the pullout of the First Marine Brigade headed by Col. Ramiro Alibio, less than four months before the May 14 elections.

It would be recalled that the First Marine Brigade was the same military unit that figured in the reported administration attempt to rig the results of the 2004 presidential election in the Lanao area to favor President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

This was uncovered in the Hello Garci tapes and confirmed by then Col. Francisco Gudani, head of AFP Task Force Ranao. Gudani was abruptly relieved of his command when he resisted the dagdag-bawas operations to cheat then opposition presidential contended Fernando Poe Jr. of victory.

In a letter to Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, AFP chief-of-staff, Pimentel conveyed the apprehensions of the people Marawi over the transfer of the First Marine Brigade.

I recognize this matter is wholly within your competence but as a senator, I feel it is my duty to relay to you the sentiments of residents of the city which have been forwarded to me, Pimentel told Esperon in his letter.