A military intelligence official has confirmed the reported meeting between Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer and presidential candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III.
“It’s confirmed that they [Aquino and Ferrer] met. The meeting occurred about four days ago," said the security official who requested anonymity. He said the meeting, which was also attended by several officers, took place in Davao four days ago.
The officers were allegedly disgruntled over their recent assignments within the military organization, the official said.
Ferrer, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1977, was bypassed in the selection of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Army chiefs.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the military commander-in-chief, instead appointed Gen. Delfin Bangit and Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu as AFP and Army chiefs, respectively. Both belong to the PMA class of 1978 of which the President is an honorary member.
“We are monitoring them," the official said, referring to Ferrer and other disgruntled military officers who were in the meeting.
Bypassed
Aquino last Monday admitted that he had a meeting with several members of PMA classes of 1977, 1978 and other junior batches. He said they discussed the military officers’ possible role in case of a failure of elections on May 10.
Two days later, Ferrer wrote a letter to Bangit denying that he was among the soldiers being referred to by Aquino. He also affirmed his loyalty in the military organization in the letter.
“My loyalty to the AFP under your leadership is greater than my personal feelings. I am not disgruntled or else I would have resigned my position and damned the institution to my heart’s content…I reiterate my unconditional support to the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines," Ferrer said in his letter.
Demoralized
But the military source said Ferrer was demoralized when he was not appointed either AFP or Army chief. “He [Ferrer] is disgruntled because all the while, he thinks that he is good [to be appointed either AFP chief or Army chief)," the source said.
The source said Ferrer is hoping to he appointed to a higher post if Aquino wins in the elections or a “juicy" position upon retirement. Bangit is reaching the retirement age of 56 on July next year while Ferrer is retiring on January 2012.
The same source revealed that another “disgruntled" member of the PMA class ’78 has been talking with the camp of Aquino through civil society leader Pastor Boy Saycon. He said the officer is occupying a two-star general position.
“His link is Saycon," the source said.
Like Ferrer, the source said the officer from the PMA ’78 is “aspiring for a higher position or a juicy post after retirement."
Other officials monitored
The same source revealed two members of the PMA class ’77 – an Army general and a police general – were also monitored to be meeting with the camp of presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Villar Jr., an honorary member of the class.
The same official also disclosed that other “probable and vulnerable" officers are also being monitored, among them are Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Ricardo David, Central Command chief Lt. Gen. Ralph Villanueva, Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali, and 9th Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Ruperto Pabustan.
Villanueva and Detabali are from the PMA class 1978 while David and Pabustan are from PMA class ’77. He said the four could be likewise griping after they being bypassed either for the posts of AFP or Army chief. - KBK
