CPP offers cooperation with patriotic and critical-minded AFP officers and men

September 29, 2005

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today extended its offer of possible alliance and cooperation with patriotic, democratic and critical- minded officials and soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) even as it cited widespread restiveness within the AFP made worse by desperate measures in the past days by President Arroyo to stop military officials from testifying on the rigging of the 2004 elections.

CPP spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal commended Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani and Lt. Col. Alexander Balutan for defying Executive Order 464 rushed by Malaca�ang to compel officials under the executive department to first get clearance from Arroyo before testifying in congressional hearings.

Even as he was testifying in the Senate, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Generoso Senga announced that Gudani and Balutan have been relieved and will face court martial for defying Arroyo's order.

"It is lame for Arroyo to invoke separation of powers in issuing the EO. All the while, she has been exerting all efforts to preempt and control congress and the Supreme Court," Rosal said. "Obviously, Gloria Arroyo issued EO 464 in her self-interest, specifically to stop Gen. Gudani and Col. Balutan from testifying and revealing damning information confirming the extent of Gloria and Mike Arroyo's direct and deep involvement in electoral fraud in Mindanao as shown in the Gloriagate tapes."

In conversations between Gloria Arroyo and COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano revealed in the Gloriagate tapes, Gen. Gudani was referred to as being uncooperative in the effort to ensure Arroyo's one million vote lead specifically in the Mindanao electoral tallies.

In his testimony, Gudani revealed that Mike Arroyo carried as much as P500 million in two helicopter trips to Mindanao a week or two before the elections. Because he refused to cooperate with Arroyo's plan to rig the elections, Gudani was forced to take a vacation and "just play golf" a few days after the elections while the doctoring of elections results were taking place.

Rosal assailed the AFP top brass for ordering court martial proceedings against Gen. Gudani and Col. Balutan. "It reveals Arroyo's vengefulness. She uses all available powers in reprisal against those who do not follow her baton."

"Arroyo's vengefulness has further infuriated the already disgruntled ranks of the AFP. In ordering court martial proceedings against Gen. Gudani and Col. Balutan, Arroyo has succeeded only in further stoking the flames of unrest among critical-minded junior officers and enlisted men in the AFP," Rosal said.

"More and more, these patriotic and democratic officers and soldiers are justified in withdrawing from an immoral, illegal and anti-people chain of command," Rosal said. He urged them to now come out in the open en masse and support the mounting people's movement to oust Gloria Arroyo.

Rosal said the CPP-NPA is extending its offer of possible alliance and cooperation to all elements of the AFP who want to work for genuine reforms or revolutionary social change.

Among other things, Rosal said, AFP officials or enlisted men who are targets of the Arroyo regime's campaign of suppression can seek refuge within territories under revolutionary authority.

"The CPP-NPA is also willing to discuss with patriotic, democratic and critical-minded junior officials and enlisted men possible points of cooperation to serve the broad interests of the Filipino people and promote progressive and revolutionary social transformation," Rosal said.

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

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