Palace warns coddlers of Faeldon

Malacañang warned yesterday coddlers of renegade Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, who has been calling on soldiers and policemen to oust President Arroyo, that they would be held criminally liable for their actions.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the government cannot allow Faeldon and his handlers to continue plotting to topple the administration.

"If it’s true that he is being coddled by some people, especially those in government, I think they should think (about their) position twice over because they would be criminally liable," he said.

"We just have to apply the rule of law, look for him, account for him, so that we’ll be able to apply the law equally to everybody."

On the other hand, Lt. Gen. Samuel Bagasin, Armed Forces deputy chief of staff and spokesman, said yesterday the military brass is cool to proposals to offer a cash reward for Faeldon’s capture.

"We have not talked about coming up with a bounty," he said.

Several lawmakers earlier urged the military to offer a bounty for Faeldon to hasten his arrest.

Bagasin said despite all-out efforts to arrest the Marine officer, the AFP remains clueless about his whereabouts.

Faeldon’s movements have been difficult to track, he added.

Bagasin said military investigators have not gotten any leads on Faeldon’s whereabouts, although there were reports that he had been offered refuge by influential people, whom the intelligence community described as "unseen hands."

"These are initial impressions," he said. "There might be some groups making use of (Faeldon’s) name... That is another scenario. He might have allowed (himself) also to be used by other groups."

However, there were "no indications" that Faeldon had received help in his escape or that he was being coddled by groups within the military, Bagasin said.

Faeldon, one of the leaders of the foiled July 27, 2003 Oakwood military mutiny, escaped while attending a court hearing on the coup d’état charges against him in Makati City on Dec. 14.

He was detained at the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces chief Gen. Generoso Senga said yesterday the military brass is scouting for military officers who would replace a trio of three-star generals who will be retiring from the service next month.

Reaching the retirement age of 56 are Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan, Armed Forces Southern Command chief; Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Teodosio, Central Visayas Command chief; and Lt. Gen. Cristilito Balaoing, Philippine Military Academy superintendent.

All three belong to PMA Class of 1972.

Adan is retiring on Jan. 11, Teodosio on Jan. 21, while Balaoing will bow out on Jan. 30.

This early, the name of Maj. Gen. Romeo Tolentino of PMA Class 1974 is being floated as among the contenders for Southcom chief.

However, Senga said the Board of Generals has yet to decide on which of the senior officers would be recommended to Malacañang as the next Southcom, Viscom and PMA chiefs.

"For the past weeks, there were a series of deliberations of the Board of Generals, and we have been looking at the different officers who may be considered to replace those who will be retiring," he said.

"We are carefully studying this so that when we make our recommendations, we will be sure of our recommendees."

Three more star-rank officers, AFP deputy chief of staff for logistics Maj. Gen. Antonio Anciano of PMA Class 1973 and AFP deputy chief of staff for reservists and retirees affairs Maj. Gen. Raul Relano, and AFP Judge Advocate General Brig. Gen. Manuel Llena are also retiring next month.

Two more key officers are retiring in February next year: Western Command chief, Vice Admiral Ruben Domingo and AFP vice chief of staff Vice Admiral Ariston delos Reyes.

Both belong to PMA Class 1971.

Senga himself is set to retire in July next year. — Paolo Romero, Jaime Laude