Proclamation 1959---mansanas na may lason para kay AFP Chief General Ibrado

Nakapanghilakbot ang maaaring maging epekto ng Proklamasyon 1959, hindi lamang sa pampulitikal na aspeto ng ating pamumuhay kundi na rin sa pangkalahatang direksyong tatahakin ng bansa sa mga susunod na panahon.

Hindi man aminin o kilalanin ni Ginang Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, sampu ng kanyang mga alipores sa Malakanyang, liban kay Defense secretary Norberto Gonzales, may malaking epekto ito sa propesyunalismo ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas. Direktang hamon ito kay Ibrado, lalo na sa kanyang kakayahang kontrolin ang sitwasyon nang hindi kinakailangan pang magdeklara ng batas militar.

Kung tutuusin, malaking sampal ang Proclamation 1959 sa liderato ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas. Bakit kamo? Dahilan sa bago pa ito ipinatupad, isinailalim na sa State of Emergency ang Maguindanao. Bunsod nito, nagpadala na ng libo-libong tropang militar ang AFP sa pamumuno ni General Victor Ibrado. Bakit kinailangan pang isailalim ito sa batas militar gayong sang-ayon kay Ibrado, kalmado na at kontrolado ang sitwasyon? Malinaw na sinadya ang proklamasyon upang pahiyain si Ibrado at magkaroon ng guwang ang relasyon sa pagitan ng PMA Class 1976 (Ibrado) at PMA Class 1977 (General Raymundo Ferrer, na siyang tumatayong Military General sa Maguindanao). Kung may paggalang ang Malakanyang kay Ibrado, nakabuti sanang ipinasailalim ang Maguindanao hindi sa isang mas mababang ranggong heneral kundi sa C-S o Chief of Staff.



 
Sa ganitong sitwasyon, binibigyang daan nito ang isang insidenteng kahawig ng Oplan August Moon---ang pagpapatalsik kay Ibrado bilang Chief of Staff na kakasangkapaning kadahilanan ang paglala ng sitwasyong pang-kapayapaan sa Maguindanao at sa buong Mindanao. Hinog na ang panahon upang maisakatuparan ng mga nag-uudyok kay Mrs. Arroyo na bigyang laya ang kanyang tutang si Lt. General Bangit na makupo ang kapangyarihan ng AFP.
 
Latag na ang mga bataan ni Bangit sa matataas na posisyon sa AFP at maging sa PNP. Sa totoo lang, nag "testing the waters" na ang PMA Class 1978 nang ideklara sa "blue alert" ni Major General Mapagu, chief ng NCR Command ang buong Kamaynilaan bago pa ang deklarasyon ng batas militar, isang pahiwatig na naghahanda sa isang nakapangyayaring sitwasyon ang mga ito.

Dahilan sa maling aplikasyon o pagpapatupad ng batas militar sa malalabo at gawa-gawang kadahilinan, binigyang loob nito ang mga nagpapanukala para sa isang hunta o pamahalaan sa ilalim ng militar.

Pinapatikim ng mga alipores ni Ginang Arroyo sa matataas na opisyales ng militar kung gaano kasarap pamunuan ang pamahalaan---isang nakatatakot at nakapanghihilakbot na kalagayang maaaring maging daan sa isang diktaduryang militar. Inihahalintulad ko ito sa isang mansanas na may lason at pinatitikim sa mga opisyales de militar na walang pagsasa-alang-alang sa epekto nito sa demokrasya sa Pilipinas.

Sa kadahilanang nakalusot sa taumbayan ang Proklamasyon 1959, ipinapahiwatig nito na hinog na rin ang sitwasyon sa kahit anumang aksyon o pagkilos na maaaring gawin o kasangkapanin ng mga agila sa loob ng palasyo.

Komportable ang Palasyo na makipagtalik sa mga agila sa militar kapalit ng pagpapalawig ng termino ni Ginang Arroyo. Maaaring modified Thai model ang gawin ng mga ito sa sandaling magtagumpay sila sa kanilang maitim na balak, kumbaga'y panandaliang hindi pauupuin si Gng. Arroyo at sasabihing transitory president. Itutuloy ang charter change at ipahihintulot ang eleksyon sa Mayo, hindi upang mailuklok ang bagong pangulo kundi upang mailuklok ang Prime Minister.

Bangit to lead Hello Garci Part Two in 2010

Why Lt. General Delfin Bangit as AFP Chief of Staff in the May 2010 elections? Two things: assure administration victory in 2010 and if the administration fails to at least get the two top posts for its bets, Vice President Noli de Castro and Gilbert Teodoro, unleash the dogs of war in Mindanao and Metro Manila to justify a full military-led government.

As I wrote in previous posts, Bangit serves as Arroyo's final option should attempts at term extension fails in Congress (it would surely fail) or if the opposition snatch the presidency in 2010.

Bangit is Mrs. Arroyo's former intelligence chief and her most trusted security group head. Sources say Bangit is closer to Mrs. Arroyo than former AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr.

Both Bangit and Esperon took an active part in the 2004 elections that snatched electoral victory from opposition presidential bet Fernando Poe Jr. and gave the controversial win to Mrs. Arroyo. During that time, generals led by Esperon operated in major parts of the country to implement a massive cheating operation, now conveniently called " Hello Garci" scandal.

Bangit, sources say, is expected to populate the entire country with his own men, political operators posing as military men. This massive organization will ensure the victory of the administration bets in 2010.

So, now, what would be the role of new AFP Chief of Staff Lt. General Victor Ibrado? Ibrado, sources say, is a professional soldier. However, questions abound as to the loyalty of Ibrado---will he allow the AFP to be mangled by politics or will he do his own thing and continue the reforms of his predecessor, Alex Yano?

Like Yano, Ibrado is also a "sitting duck", since people will definitely flock to Bangit instead of him. This situation occurred during the time of former PNP chief Roberto Lastimoso who was perceived to be a "transition" chief to pave the way for his lower classman, Ping Lacson.

Surely, a clash is definitely expected between Ibrado and Bangit simply because people, especially defense operators, with long-term modernization projects, will probably hesitate to report to Ibrado since Bangit is there as his "shadow", perceived to even be stronger than the sitting AFP C-S.

A power struggle is sure to tear the AFP apart, thanks to pronouncements by Defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro that Ibrado will also retire early to pave the way for Bangit to assume full control of the military come 2010.

By the way, Vice Chief of Staff Cardozo Luna will also retire early with Yano. Luna, as some sources say, has been tagged as a "major stumbling block" in Mrs. Arroyo and Bangit's efforts to consolidate the entire AFP General's club behind the devil's flock.

Luna is also rumoured to be against the ensuing politicization of the military during Mrs. Arroyo's administration. He will be replaced by General Rodrigo Maclang, a classmate and bunkmate of former AFP Chief of Staff Alex Yano.

Now, what is the true reason behind these maneuverings in the AFP?

Their mission is simple----prevent an opposition victory especially forces allied with former president Joseph Estrada.

Sources say, Malacanang is doing its best to prevent Erap from snatching the top plum. A case is being strengthened to again, prosecute and detain the former president.

Erap, sources say, will be prevented from running AT ALL COSTS.

Should these Machivellian moves fail, the next in the agenda is strengthening the military hierarchy through a re-organization. The PNP has already been re-organized. The AFP will undergo re-organization after Yano steps down, replacing his men with Bangit's. Ibrado will not be allowed to populate the organization with his own appointees without the prior "clearance" from Bangit.

Aim? Simple. Prevent opposition forces from having their own "generals" to help them secure victory in certain populous, voter-rich areas. We all know that generals assume "turfs" during elections and these "turfs" serve as their leverage to politicians come election time.

This is Hello Garci part two. Expect an administration win in 2010.