Biazon To AFP - Disarm Private Armies Instead
of Performing Body Guard Duties To Politicians

Senator Rodolfo G Biazon today said the Armed Forces of the Philippines should be chasing, disarming and arresting the private armies of politicians instead of performing body guard duties to protect the politicians.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security said the first private armies that they should disarm should be the known allies of the Administration who had been lording it over the rest of the country as shown by the Ampatuans of Maguindanao.

"The proposal by Secretary Gonzales of the DND sounds ominous considering the existence of a previous agreement signed between the COMELEC and DND under former DND Secretary Nonong Cruz. The old agreement limited the involvement of the military in the electoral process to providing security in certain hotspots , operating check points and enforcing the gun ban during the election season."

"The agreement went further by banning the AFP from acting as security escorts of candidates, participating in the canvassing of votes and transporting of ballot boxes. "

Biazon explained that this old agreement came about because of the "Hello Garci" scandal implicating some AFP Generals in the cheating of the 2004 presidential elections.

"Now comes Secretary Gonzales proposing for a reversal of that agreement! THIS SOUNDS OMINOUS!!!!"

"The dismantling of private armies even before the campaign period starts will allow the AFP to contribute to the removal of the threats to the politicians especially to those who do not have the tendency and capability to surround themselves with bodyguards."

Biazon said there is not enough manpower in the AFP to provide for bodyguards for each and every politician who will ask for it.

"I reiterate my previous position that the soldiers performing bodyguard duties can only be exposed to partisan political activities, and this is not what the Constitution envisions as stated in Article XVI Sec 5 (3) "...the Armed Forces shall be insulated from partisan politics. No member of the military shall engage directly or indirectly in any partisan political activity except to vote," Biazon concluded.