AFP won’t suspend general under probe

MANILA, Philippines - The military will not slap a preventive suspension on a general accused of using soldiers in building his three-story residential house in Taguig.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said they could not suspend Brig. Gen. Dante Costes, the subject of the allegation, based on an anonymous letter.

“We have to look into the letter, investigate, find out and then the investigators will be the one to determine what recommendation to make,” Zagala said.

“We have to take into consideration that there must be due process and we also have to take into consideration that the complainants filed an anonymous letter. We must verify the contents of the anonymous letter,” he added.

Zagala said those who wrote the letter of complaint against Costes should not fear any reprisals if their accusations are true.

“What we want to emphasize here is to correct any wrongdoing, If there is any wrongdoing, they (complainants) should not be afraid,” Zagala said.

“We should look at the investigations as a means to fix the wrongdoing, find out the truth and make the necessary corrections,” he added.

Costes, the chief of the Communication, Electronics Information System Service-Armed Forces of the Philippines (CEISSAFP), has been accused of using soldiers assigned to his office to build his house at the AFP Officers’ Village in Taguig.

The military’s Inspector General is investigating the allegations.  

The investigation stemmed from an anonymous but detailed letter that detailed how Costes supposedly used soldiers as his engineers, foremen and laborers.

Zagala said Costes has expressed readiness to face the investigation and to explain his side on the issue.