EDITORIAL - Not so fast

The fire in the Philippine Marines is still spreading, and it’s threatening to engulf more officers. From all indications, the allegations of Rear Admiral Guillermo Wong on anomalous purchases in the Marines are just one of many questionable transactions in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. For breaking the code of silence in the AFP, Wong has lost command of the Navy. Malacañang, feeling the heat, has ordered an investigation of the commandant of the Marines, Maj. Gen. Librado Ladia, who purportedly threatened to bodily remove Wong from his office.

Initial reports said Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, a former Marine commandant and AFP chief, was himself involved in anomalous deals. Wong has since apologized to Biazon. The senator in turn said yesterday the deal criticized by Wong was clinched not during the time of Ladia but during the tenure of Lt. Gen. Edgardo Espinosa as Marine commandant.

Now this poses another problem for Malacañang. Only a day before Biazon issued his statement, President Arroyo had said that if Espinosa wanted to be posted in the Philippines’ de facto embassy in Taiwan upon his retirement in August, the post was his for the asking. The President said Espinosa recently filed his application for retirement. Though the post in Taiwan is known to be one of the juiciest in the fo-reign service, Espinosa didn’t seem too happy with the offer. He appeared surprised that he had already been counted out of the race for AFP chief, pointing out that the filing of his application for retirement was chiefly procedural.

Mrs. Arroyo has made no secret of her debt of gratitude to Espinosa, who was active in the opposition during the previous administration and provided protection to those who opposed Joseph Estrada. Espinosa’s role in the movement against Estrada has apparently made some quarters overlook reports that he was relieved as Southern Command chief because of corruption. Now he has been implicated in serious allegations of wrongdoing in a unit that he used to head. Before the President repays her debt of gratitude, she must first make sure Espinosa has been cleared of all charges hurled against him.