AFP helped avert civil war — Arroyo

President Arroyo paid homage yesterday to the leaders of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) whose withdrawal of support for deposed President Joseph Estrada "helped avert... civil war and chaos by making that great sacrifice."

At the grand alumni homecoming of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) at Fort Del Pilar in Baguio City, the President thanked the PMA alumni for rising "to the right occasion, at the right time, in the right manner."

"Thank you for being with me," she said as she noted how "grizzled battle warriors have turned into consummate statesmen."

The military’s support of people power II on Jan. 19 was seen as a turning point in Estrada’s ouster from the presidency. Mrs. Arroyo was sworn into office by Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. the following day.

"Help me renew our people’s faith in government," the President told PMA alumni as she pledged to support the military in pursuit of that goal.

She also promised to speed up the AFP’s modernization program.

"I recognize the need for modernization and we shall try to push it forward without sacrificing the needs of our workers, both in the civil and uniformed services for better pay, for better benefits and for better welfare," Mrs. Arroyo said.

She also unveiled an agricultural program that would make staple food like rice and sugar available at military camps at lower prices and assist soldiers and their families in agricultural projects.

The program will be a joint undertaking of the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) and aims to increase the income and living standards of AFP personnel.

The program will provide inputs, like seeds and fingerlings, and technical training to encourage soldiers and their families to engage in vegetable and aquaculture production with the use of idle lots within military camps.

"This aims to bring the men in uniform into the mainstream of rural development, making them a major participant in attaining food security," the President said.

Under the program, she said the National Food Authority (NFA) will also provide vital commodities to soldiers and their families in key military camps through the camp commissary.

In previous speeches, Mrs. Arroyo also announced hikes in military and police benefits while emphasizing that she will consult with them on various security issues, including her plan to reopen peace talks with communist and Muslim separatist guerrillas.

The President, an honorary member of PMA Class of 1978, told the officers she saw herself "as one of the guys" but stressed that she "must now transcend the class and be the cavalier of all classes."

Mrs. Arroyo’s speech came shortly after she revoked the tour of duty extension granted by Estrada to AFP chief of staff Gen. Angelo Reyes, who is set to retire March 17.

The recall of Reyes’ extension sparked aggressive jockeying for the AFP top post among top generals but the President has deftly dodged pressure for her to name the replacement for Reyes.

The lobbying camps had hoped that she would name her choice at the alumni homecoming yesterday but her spokesmen announced on Friday that she would take four more weeks to make the announcement.

Reyes, who would reportedly be named defense secretary on his retirement, is reportedly pushing for the appointment of AFP deputy chief of staff Lt. Gen. Diomedio Villanueva while retired Gen. Fortunato Abat is reportedly lobbying for Lt. Gen. Edgardo Espinosa.

The President, however, has not indicated whom she would name to the post and announced that at least 10 senior generals are being eyed for the post.

Aside from Reyes, the President was accompanied by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, Executive Secretary Renato de Villa, acting Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Deputy Director General Leandro Mendoza. - With Marichu Villanueva