By Ding Cervantes (The Philippine Star) Updated March 21, 2010 12:00 AM
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga , Philippines – Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales declared he would “never” follow illegal orders from President Arroyo in the event of a failure of elections on May 10.
“I will never do so myself,” Gonzales told reporters here Friday.
Gonzales though stressed the President has no intention of issuing any orders that could be perceived as illegal should a failure of elections be declared.
“I never thought for a moment that the President will issue any illegal order... Wala tayong dapat ikatakot dyan (There is nothing to fear there),” he said.
Gonzales downplayed rumors of the purported plan of Mrs. Arroyo to derail the May 10 elections so she could stay beyond her term of office.
Gonzales said reports of the plan to derail the elections were triggered by the President’s failure to attend the graduation ceremony of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) last Thursday at which she was supposed to be guest speaker.
Speculation was rife that the President was angry at Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Verzosa, who said he would not support President Arroyo in her supposed plans to stay in power.
Malacañang, however, downplayed the reports and maintained there was no rift between Mrs. Arroyo and Verzosa.
The rumors were fanned by recent key appointments made by Mrs. Arroyo.
Earlier this month she appointed Army commander Maj. Gen. Delfin Bangit as the new Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief, and critics alleged the appointment of her former security chief was a move to ensure the elections would run in her favor.
Bangit, however, denied charges that he was appointed by Mrs. Arroyo to help her stay in power.
Bangit vowed he would fight any efforts to use him and the military for partisan political activities.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court (SC) voted to allow the President to appoint the next chief justice amid legal issues raised about the ban on appointments during the election period.
The appointments further fueled talks of the supposed plan of Mrs. Arroyo to derail the May 10 elections, then take the opportunity to remain president amid the ensuing chaos.
Gonzales admitted that the defense department has no contingency plan in case of a failure of elections but maintained “it will not happen.”
Gonzales echoed the position of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that there would be no general failure of elections even on the possibility that the poll machines would break down in some areas in the country.
“There is the possibility that the elections could be carried out only 70 to 80 percent and this is what we are bracing for. But we believe the Comelec in saying that there will be no failure of elections,” he added.
Gonzales did not elaborate on the possible role of the military in areas where there could a failure of elections, but pointed out efforts to dismantle private armies in areas considered as election hot spots.
Gonzales cited the memorandum of agreement between the Comelec and the AFP that is still pending.
“It’s really a police matter so I want the mode of cooperation (between the military and the police) to be precise,” he said.
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