Analysis of the Phil Situation 4: The Military

AFP Chief of Staff General Alex Yano has, time and again, said that the military organisation will not participate in the political intramurals. Yano said the loyalty of the military wrests in the sovereign power. Now, who is the sovereign power? It is the Filipino People, not one person.

Now, in the military organisation, the ruling class is PMA Class 1976, composed of Yano, PNP Chief of Staff Jesus Verzosa and his command officers. Now, the penultimate question--will Yano move against those who will try to unseat Mrs. Arroyo? Last year's November caper of Trillianes showed Yano sending his troops against the Magdalos. Will he do this again if challenged by younger PMA officers?

Posing to challenge the PMA Class 1976 is the officer corps of PMA Class 1978. Sources say this Class is actually behind the smear campaign of PNP Chief Verzosa and is allegedly maneuvering to get the AFP and PNP plum posts in 2009. This class is wont on smearing the integrity of Yano since most of them, allegedly, are afraid of their upperclassman.

What political observers fail to realize is that if attempts to unseat Arroyo fail this year, the possibility of an extended, even a totalitarian regime under Arroyo exists in 2009 and beyond, what with the PMA Class 1978 serving as Arroyo's praetorian guards. This is entirely possible given that Arroyo's henchmen are solidifying almost all institutions of government behind Arroyo's. There are talks that PMA Class 1978 will hold the distinction of being Arroyo's version of the Rolex generals (since Arroyo is an honorary member of this PMA class. Many members of the class are loyal and very close to the First Couple).

Question---will other classes stand up and oppose this from happening? We already sacrificed our lives to oust a dictator in 1986. Let's do it again to prevent an aspiring one from getting her way.