EDITORIAL - Wait for 2004

As if the nation didn’t have enough problems, reports said certain groups are again agitating to undermine the administration. Military and police officers have reported that some of their colleagues were recruiting supporters within the ranks for yet another attempt to topple the government. Officials of the Rebolus-yonaryong Alyansang Makabansa said another faction of the rightist group was part of the renewed efforts to destabilize the administration.

The RAM officials said they would help thwart such attempts, whose motives are murky. Those doing the recruitment are reportedly sick of the continuing rot in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police. Other reports said the agitators were simply disgruntled over the assignment of certain offi-cers identified with the opposition to coveted positions in the AFP and PNP. Still other reports said civilian groups were leading the agitation for a change of government.

The two successful movements to topple unpopular or corrupt leaders in this country had the support of the military. Having tasted power, some offi-cers have found it difficult to return to the barracks and stop meddling in the nation’s political affairs. Recent history has shown, however, that coup attempts without the backing of the civilian population do not succeed in this country. The only thing that the seven coup attempts against the Aquino administration accomplished was to set back national efforts to recover from the economic ruin that was the ugly legacy of the Marcos years.

Any sincere reformist in the military and police will realize that destabilization efforts at this time will have a similar effect. Those fomenting restiveness in the uniformed ser-vices are merely pursuing a personal agenda and are part of the problems besetting the AFP and PNP. These opportunists should be considered enemies of the genuine reformists who want to see professionalism take root in the uniformed services. The general elections are less than two years away; campaigning is expected to start in earnest by this time next year. That’s a very short wait for those hoping to gain power.