Soldiers can air grievances to Malacañang

Junior military officers and other soldiers who would like to air their gripes against more senior officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) can lodge their complaints before Malacañang without fear of reprisal, presidential adviser Carolina Hernandez said yesterday.

Hernandez is the presidential adviser for the implementation of the Feliciano Commission recommendations.

She was appointed by President Arroyo last year after the fact-finding commission wrapped up its inquiry into the failed July 27, 2003 mutiny mounted by the Magdalo group of junior military officers and enlisted men at the Oakwood Premier condotel in Makati City.

In a press briefing at the Palace, Hernandez said her office, which was created under Executive Order 255 issued in December last year, was empowered as an "alternative venue of grievances" for uniformed personnel of the AFP to avoid another Oakwood mutiny and the airing of gripes to media recently by the "Kawal Pilipino" group.

"While there are grievance mechanisms in the AFP, such as the inspector-general’s office, and because of the military culture (and) the idea of seniority, there may be fear on the part of the ordinary soldier to bring up their concerns through the AFP grievance mechanism," Hernandez said.

"I have to get (the) support and (a) consensus of the AFP chief of staff to also use our office as an alternative and complementary venue for airing the grievances of soldiers."

The President last week ordered Hernandez to look into the immediate implementation of the recommendations of the Feliciano Commission after the Kawal Pilipino group appeared in a clandestine press conference organized for them by Council on Philippine Affairs (COPA) leader Pastor "Boy" Saycon.

Five junior Army officers of the Kawal Pilipino group aired their grievances against the leadership of the defense establishment.