CA panel rejects appointment of Army general behind survey on Trillanes
The national defense committee of the Commission on Appointments rejected yesterday the nomination of an Army general who was behind the survey within the military on the senatorial bid of suspected coup plotter and then Lt. senior grade Antonio Trillanes IV.
An earthquake appeared to have even heightened the tension at the CA panel hearing during which Lt. Gen. Nestor Sadiarin faced intense grilling from Sen. Jamby Madrigal. Sadiarin is seeking CA nod for his promotion to brigadier general.
“This is an omen from God,” Madrigal said of the earthquake, which occurred at past
Sadiarin, head of the Army’s Community Relations Service, launched a survey among soldiers on their perceptions on the senatorial bid of Trillanes. The latter, although in detention, eventually won a Senate seat.
Madrigal expressed disappointment at Sadiarin’s failure to produce a copy of the survey. She said that what Sadiarin sent her was a copy of another survey.
The survey form sent to Madrigal’s office last Thursday did not even have a cover sheet and explanation.
“I am even surprised that you have the nerve to send this to my office,” Madrigal told the one-star general referring to the wrong survey sheet.
“I admit I failed to comply with the senator’s request. I admit deficiency, I did not understand (the request),” Sadiarin told Madrigal.
“He has the audacity to submit a different questionnaire. This is a mockery of the CA,” she said. “Does he think I am so stupid not knowing what I asked for?”
Sen. Panfilo Lacson questioned the source of funds for the survey and why Sadiarin engaged in a partisan move. The Armed Forces is supposed to be an apolitical organization, Lacson stressed.
Rep. Prospero Nograles, a member of the CA defense panel, said the survey was “political” because the issue was about a political exercise. “When asked if it is political or not, the answer is yes because it is about a political exercise,” Nograles said.
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