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Gonzales, speaking before the Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC), also disclosed there are attempts to bribe the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), as he appealed to the religious leaders to pray for AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Delfin Bangit and PNP Chief Dir. General Jesus Verzosa, both of whom had already pledged to make sure that the elections take place in an orderly, peaceful, and credible manner.
While attempted bribery is already a crime, no arrest was made by the concerned officers.
Gonzales also called on politicians and their supporters to avoid resorting to violence whatever the result of the elections may be, saying the protectors of the people – the armed forces – will stop that violence.
In his remarks during the BUC-AFP-PNP Forum for Peace held at the Waterfront Hotel here, Gonzales said: “I was hesitating to speak. Seems that every time I speak, I am misunderstood. The latest text messages that I have been getting is that I am being accused of supporting Manny Villar for President. “
“I was supposed to have done that in a conference of battalion commanders in Camp Aguinaldo. I don’t have to deny that except that it seems to me that what they are trying to show is that the Secretary of National Defense is not serious after all in making sure that the AFP remains non-partisan in the coming elections,” said the secretary, who also denied another text message circulating that he is about to launch a coup against the President.
“While it is true that many people might be happy about me being against the President, I don’t think it’s also true I am nothing without the President. I was an ordinary individual and she made me a Cabinet member, so may utang na loob din naman ako sa ganyang bagay.”
Going on with his message, Gonzales emphasized has he been trying his best to really put everything for the coming elections, but added recent developments going on are starting to make him ask questions. He particularly cited the mandamus of the Supreme Court filed by the group of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, asking the Comelec to explain what they consider as omissions and violations of the law with respect to the preparations of the poll body for the coming elections.
“This to me is very serious,” he said.
“I know that over 50 IT experts have gathered over the weekend to look into what the Comelec has done and doing. And what I heard is that their reports are quite negative. Therefore, I cannot blame our people for speculating that the elections may fail.”
Gonzales, however, said failure of elections is nothing but speculations, stressing that, “Maybe the automation will fail, but not the elections. We cannot afford not to have an election.”
Yet, the secretary said while the country cannot afford a failure of elections this time, “I think we should really begin, without emotions, to really look into what is being raised by some respectable elements of our society with regard to the election.”
“We have a presidential candidate who is assuming that he will win the elections, that if he loses, he is accusing everyone and telling everyone that if he loses, it means that he has been cheated. You know who this candidate is and they’re planning people power. And I am worried about this people power business. People power is okay if it will succeed, which means that if it will succeed, then there will be peace. But I do not believe that this people power will succeed, because he is probably not the only presidentiable who is thinking of people power.”
“This not good for our country anymore, that is why today, it’s a rare occasion that you have the AFP, the Police, our religious leaders. I even brought the entire organization of the National Intelligence and Coordinating Agency (NICA) because I want them to validate things that will be happening here,” according to the secretary.
Gonzales went on to say that as the AFP has been doing everything to prevent cheating in the coming elections, there are experts saying the elections “can be cheated.”
“And I’m telling you now that there will be attempts of cheating in the national elections. I’m telling you that the cheating has begun. I’m telling you that some money is being distributed to some Comelec officials already these days. There will be cheating in the coming elections,” according to Gonzales.
At the same time, he also disclosed attempts to bribe the AFP and PNP have also started.
“What really saddens my heart is that there will be attempts, despite all our pronouncements that the AFP and the PNP will be non-partisan in these elections. It seems to be that this noble effort of our men and women in uniform are not being respected. There will be attempts to bribe our armed forces and police officials. There will be and it has begun,” said Gonzales.
“That’s why I hope, that's why I ask for your (religious leaders’) prayers for these two gentlemen (Bangit and Verzosa). I would like to state here now that I have taken the pledge of both the AFP and PNP. I will also be non partisan in these elections and I mean it. I have no candidate for President,” according to the secretary, as he stressed, “My only sole objective is to be with them and really protect this process so help them protect our people. The cheating, the bribery, they have to be found and stopped.”
Gonzales said they started to notice the move to bribe certain AFP and PNP officials about two or three days ago particularly in the southern tagalong area, while the information that money is now being circulated among Comelec officials came from no less than a Comelec official.
The secretary said they are now closely looking into these reported bribery attempt, which he said is seen to benefit two presidentiables.
“I do not believe that they will succeed, no. So far, in all of our dialogues and meetings with the officers and men of the armed forces, I think the seriousness of making sure the elections will be clean and fair is really there. So protecting the institution is paramount when it comes to this kind of business. But then, what I am trying to say is that there will be attempts,” he said when interviewed by reporters following his remarks.
Gonzales, however, refused to elaborate further or identify the said presidentiables, saying he decided to make an announcement on the matter to preempt such move by unscrupulous groups.
By ELENA L. ABEN
April 29, 2010, 5:52pm
Manila Bulliten
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