MANILA/ZAMBOANGA CITY, 13 July 2006 — A general linked to alleged poll cheating in the Philippines' presidential election of 2004 has been named overall head of the 117,000-strong Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), officials said yesterday.
Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., 54, will replace Gen. Generoso Senga as military chief of staff on July 21 when Senga reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56, presidential Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.
A day before Esperon’s appointment, officials named the other generals in the running — navy chief Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga, air force chief Lt. Gen. Jose Reyes, and vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Antonio Romero.
At a joint press conference yesterday, Ermita and Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo chose Esperon over the other aspirants because of his track record, ability to control the armed forces, and loyalty to the republic, constitution and the commander in chief.
Ermita, himself a former general, described Esperon as “a highly qualified officer, tested in combat, in addressing destabilizers.”
“As a senior officer, he is steady in his demeanor, in making decisions to be able to control the AFP. Of course, (he was chosen because of) his loyalty to the republic, constitution, and the commander in chief,” Ermita added.
Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, commander of the military’s Northern Luzon Command, will replace Esperon as chief of the 75,000-strong army, Ermita said.
Cruz said they expect Esperon’s appointment to be “welcome and acceptable” to soldiers.
Tough Commander
A 1974 graduate of the prestigious Philippine Military Academy, Esperon also earned a master’s degree in management from Philippine Christian University.
He spent much of his career fighting separatist guerrillas in the southern island of Mindanao.
From 1975 to 1976, he was commander of the Bravo Company of the 36th Infantry Battalion that operates in the provinces of Sulu, Basilan, and Zamboanga.
As chief of the army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade on the rebel stronghold of Basilan, Esperon led his men in recovering over a dozen hostages seized by Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels in 2001.
In 2002, Arroyo appointed him commander of the Presidential Security Group. He later served as deputy chief of staff for operations (J3) then as commander of the elite Special Operations Command (Socom), which includes the Scout Rangers, Special Forces, and Light Reaction Company, before he assumed as army commander in August 2005.
Scandal
Esperon’s extensive experience in the battlefield, however, had been overshadowed by allegations he helped Arroyo rig the 2004 presidential polls in her favor.
He is one of four generals mentioned in alleged wiretapped conversations between Arroyo and her alleged accomplice in vote-rigging, former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.
A military fact-finding board, headed by Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga while he was still the inspector general, cleared the four generals implicated in vote fraud.
But Arroyo and the Department of National Defense stopped the release of the committee’s report to the public and prevented the Congress from scrutinizing it, prompting suspicion of a coverup.
critical time
Esperon noted that he was taking over the military’s helm at a critical time. Arroyo has given orders for the military to wipe out the 37-year-old communist insurgency.
Thanking the president for choosing him, Esperon vowed to be at the “frontline” and “lead the charge” in the war against “enemies of the state.” “In the pursuit of this war against the enemies of the state, I will be in the front line as often as I can. I will lead the charge,” he told reporters.
He asked for public support and cooperation, saying it was not only the military’s war. He also offered assurances that all soldiers are focused on their jobs and are not affected by talks of restiveness within the rank of the military.
Militant groups blasted his appointment saying it reeked of political payback and would sow further restiveness within the troops. “Esperon’s appointment will only foster discontent within the military,” Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary-general Renato Reyes Jr. said.
“We are also concerned that the human rights situation will worsen under him since he is a die-hard Arroyo defender. Junior officers will not accept a military general who was promoted through election fraud,” said Gery Albert Corpuz, spokesman of the left-wing fisherfolk group Pamalakaya.
Esperon belied these accusations and said he would be willing to face any investigation related to this.
“They will always make that comment that I got this position as a favor or as a payback. They must look at my record and see where I have come from and what my record tells about my career. That is why I thank the president for her continuing trust,” he said.
Support
Among those who immediately declared their support for Esperon were troops in Mindanao.
Arab News learned that sergeant-majors, who represent the enlisted personnel in the military, are reportedly coming up with a manifesto renewing their loyalty to Esperon.
“There are only good adjectives about General Esperon. He is a good leader and is well-respected by fellow generals and soldiers. We supported him as army commander and we will continue to support him as AFP chief of staff,” Maj. Gen. Rodolfo Obaniana, commander of the 6th Infantry Division in Mindanao, also told Arab News.
Brig. Gen. Mohamad Dolorfino, deputy commander of the Southern Command in Zamboanga City, said: “We know him and he commands as a military man and we can say that General Esperon’s leadership and character are unquestionable and beyond reproach. Even ordinary soldiers respect him a lot.”
Even the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) welcomed Esperon’s appointment and urged him to continue supporting the government peace process in Mindanao.
“The MILF is optimistic that General Esperon will continue to support the peace process and help us attain peace for everybody in Mindanao,” said Eid Kabalu, the group's spokesman.
Too Much Politics
Last month, troops in the southern Philippines, disgusted over the long delay in Esperon’s appointment as army chief with the Commission on Appointments (CA), hanged banners and streamers at roadblocks and checkpoints.
Senator Rodolfo Biazon, a CA member, threatened to by-pass Esperon if President Arroyo did not surrender the controversial report about the alleged cheating in the May 2004 national elections.
He said he would only approve Esperon’s appointment only if Malacañang provides the Senate of a copy of the report of Mayuga’s report.
Many soldiers said they were disgruntled by how some politicians try to blackmail or influence the military for their own interests and caprices.
“We know a lot who tries to exert influence or ask favors from our commanders, but if they were not granted, then expect something worse in return, and we feel bad about these things,” said Pfc. Jaime Fernandez. They also defended Esperon.
“Look at him, General Esperon, well-decorated and respected by the soldiers, is having a hard time now because of too much politics. And many foot soldiers, like me, are disgruntled with what is happening now with General Esperon and how politicians try to get back at him because of all accusations about his role in the May (2004) elections.
One sign hanged at a military checkpoint in Zamboanga City reads: “Lt. Gen. Esperon, CG, PA: We are behind you, you can make it!” Soldiers also hanged similar banners in Davao , Cagayan de Oro and Cotabato cities.
