CPP calls on soldiers to launch protest actions
October 12, 2004

The Communist Party of the Philippines today called on the AFP's rank-and-file and "well-meaning" junior officers to launch collective protest actions to express their disgust over the string of corruption cases of senior military officials that have been exposed in the past few days.

CPP spokesman, Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal said he believes that the case involving AFP Gen. Carlos Garcia, although already involving several million pesos, is just the tip of the iceberg compared to the hundreds of millions of pesos being pocketed by the biggest corrupt officials of the AFP, the defense establishment and the civilian bureaucracy.

Rosal warned that the investigation being carried out by the AFP hierarchy on the case of General Garcia will only lead to a coverup of bigger cases of corruption in the AFP and Philippine National Police.

"Apparently, this is the compromise agreement that Malaca�ang offered to appease the Magdalo officers: we will hang the heads of some corrupt AFP officials in exchange for your exoneration of Angelo Reyes and Victor Corpus," Rosal added.

"It is unfortunate that the Magdalo officers did not have the will to reject such an unprincipled conciliation with the corrupt Arroyo regime," Rosal said.

Rosal, however, expressed confidence that more principled and determined elements from the rank-and-file as well as junior officers will stand up to expose the widespread corruption of AFP officials.

This is especially significant, now that the people are wallowing in poverty and hunger, said Rosal. Families of ordinary soldiers who suffer the same fate as the rest of the Filipino toiling masses are extremely appalled at the callousness of the top officials of the AFP, he added.

"The AFP's rank-and-file and junior officers can help in exposing the biggest cases of corruption and carry out protest actions to demand decisive punitive measures against corrupt officials," Rosal said.

He added that among the protest actions that AFP soldiers and officials can carry out are street protest actions, collective disobedience of orders by corrupt officials, prayer rallies and other unarmed and armed actions.

Rosal also urged AFP soldiers and officials to link up with other groups that stand against bureaucratic corruption.

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553

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CPP calls on soldiers to launch protest actions October 12, 2004

CPP calls on soldiers to launch protest actions
October 12, 2004