No firearms landing in North — military

The military belied reports that there has been an arms landing in Northern Luzon as earlier claimed by Sen. Rodolfo Biazon.

Col. Tristan Kison, Armed Forces public information chief, told Camp Aguinaldo reporters that the military’s efforts to verify reports of arms shipments in Currimao, Ilocos Sur and Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte have so far yielded negative results.

"There is no basis for that arms landing (report) in the North," Kison said.

Biazon earlier said that since May, vessels have reportedly been unloading high-powered firearms in the Ilocos region allegedly for armed groups supporting President Arroyo.

The shipments reportedly consisted of AK-47, SKS, Armalite and M-14 rifles and were picked up by motorboats and brought to shore, said Biazon, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense and security.

He said the firearms cost P28,000 each, except for the SKS which costs P18,000.

Kison defended the President, saying that as commander-in-chief, she does not need to form her own private army.

"No, the President would not create a private army to fight groups out to sow chaos against the government," he said.

"We, in the Armed Forces, will always obey legal orders from her," he added.

Biazon’s claim came at a time when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen admitted that his country had been supplying arms to other Asian countries, including the Philippines.

But Kison said various intelligence agencies have made their own investigations into any arms shipment from Cambodia and all their efforts yielded negative results.

"There is no truth to that," he said. — Jaime Laude