AFP, PNP mopping up destabilization ‘remnants’

Authorities are now mopping up the "remnants of destabilization" and it is only a matter of time before the rest of the fugitive Oakwood mutineers are recaptured, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential Spokesman and Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), with the assistance of the Philippine National Police (PNP), are closely monitoring the activities of groups and individuals behind destabilization attempts.

"The AFP is handling these issues quite well. The remnants of destabilization are being mopped up," Bunye said.

"We have seen that, little by little, some of those involved have been accounted for by the AFP," he said.

Bunye said Malacañang noted the progress made by security forces, citing the recapture of renegade Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon.

He said other personalities and groups identified with the destabilization attempts have been "accounted for" by the authorities.

"And we believe that it’s a matter of time before the others are also brought in," Bunye said.

Bunye said authorities have been assisted by concerned citizens in the recapture of Faeldon in Malabon last month.

The effort showed the people are against any violent means of changing the government.

Bunye gave assurances that military personnel implicated in destabilization efforts would "be treated fairly and humanely."

The AFP said the number of enlisted personnel suspected of helping Faeldon during his 44 days as a fugitive is likely to increase.

Five soldiers whose names were found on a list of Faeldon’s contacts have been summoned for questioning by military intelligence.

"I believe there will be more than five… It depends on the outcome of the debriefing," AFP spokesman Col. Tristan Kison said.

He said three of the servicemen are now undergoing debriefing at the Southern Command in Zamboanga City.

Kison refused to identify the three soldiers and their units pending the outcome of the debriefing.

"The three enlisted personnel are from Southcom area and the AFP Counter Intelligence Group may conduct the debriefing in the Southcom area instead of bringing the three enlisted personnel" here to Manila, Kison said.

He said military investigators are focusing on reports that the involved servicemen assisted Faeldon by providing safe houses, transportation and logistics following his escape last Dec. 14.

Earlier, Navy Petty Officers 1 Hardy Glaraga and Lorenzo Caranzo, both assigned to the Civil Relations Group in West Command (Wescom) in Palawan have been summoned to the general headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City for investigation.

Kison said the information came from Faeldon himself, during a debriefing by his custodians at the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP).

He claimed Faeldon was now cooperating with the investigation.

Kison said the three servicemen have been named by Faeldon after he escaped last December.

After Faeldon escaped, he taunted authorities by issuing statements urging President Arroyo’s ouster, and posted Internet pictures and video footage showing himself moving freely around military and police camps across the country.

Four other officers allegedly involved in the 2003 mutiny with him also escaped in the past weeks and remain at large.

"Capt. Faeldon used to flaunt with those video footages, photographs about his presence in Southern Command area, so that’s the thing that we are looking into at the moment," he added.

Kison said investigators have yet to determine the participation of Capt. Candelaria "Candy" Rivas, a military prosecutor from The Judge Advocate General (TJAG) office of the AFP who was arrested with Faeldon in Malabon last Jan. 27.

Kison said the military has yet to determine the extent of Rivas’ liability in the case against Faeldon.

Meanwhile, court-martial proceedings are being prepared against Col. Efren Daquil, the officer who accused his superiors of pocketing the savings of the Philippine Air Force.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Restituto Padilla said the Provost Marshal Office is now completing its investigation of Daquil before the court-martial proceedings proceed for violation of the Articles of War.

"A pretrial investigation is in progress. The AFP will call for the convening of a court-martial to try Colonel Daquil as soon as the result of the investigation is submitted and approved," Padilla said.

Padilla said Daquil will be charged for violations of Article V, Section 4 of the Armed Forces Code of Ethics and Articles of War No. 96, or conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.

Daquil is also facing violation of Articles of War 97, or neglect and disorder to the prejudice of good order and military discipline.

Early last month, Daquil called for a press conference accusing his superiors of pocketing some P30.785 million in Air Force savings.

Daquil had claimed that when he was the PAF’s personnel chief in 2004, some P30.785 million in savings was taken from his office and used by officials who were not able to explain where the money went.

Daquil also challenged the PAF leadership to explain the alleged "fat allowances" received by the commanders including the "bata-bata system" or favoritism in the promotion of officers in PAF.

The PAF leadership immediately denied all the allegations made by Daquil and in effect turned the tables on him.

Padilla explained the "fat allowances" cited by Daquil were direct support funds intended for the maintenance of offices.

Padilla also denied favoritism in the AFP, pointing out that specific qualifications were needed for an officer to be promoted.

"Suffice it to say, there are qualifications of a good commander that he (Daquil) did not meet," said Padilla. — With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Sandy Araneta