Palace dismisses fears of poll failure with Bangit at AFP's helm

Malacañang dismissed on Tuesday fresh claims that incoming Armed Forces chief of staff Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit will help stage a failure of elections to keep President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in power after June 30. Press Secretary Crispulo Icban Jr. said any move by Bangit that would lead to failure of elections can be easily discovered. “Kung may gagawin siya, mahahalata agad dahil lahat na mata nakatingin sa kanya (If he is planning something, he will be caught quickly because all eyes are now on him)," Icban said in an interview on dzXL radio. Besides, he said the talk of a plot purportedly involving Bangit to keep President Arroyo in power beyond June 30 remains unfounded at this point. Icban added that Mrs. Arroyo is not running for president but for Pampanga congresswoman for this May’s elections. "Hanggang ngayon pangamba pa lang yan. Wala pang definite na pinakikita na gagamitin nga si Gen. Bangit sa bagay na yan (It is still an unfounded fear. There is no indication Bangit would keep Arroyo in power should there be a failure of elections)," he said. Bangit is a member of the Philippine Military Academy "Makatarungan" Class of 1978, which counts President Arroyo as its honorary member. 'Oplan August Moon' Bangit assumes the top military post Wednesday when military chief Gen. Victor Ibrado reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56 that day. Bangit ends his tour of duty August next year. Malacañang’s critics had linked Bangit to "Oplan August Moon," where members of PMA Class 1978 will be placed in key positions in the police and military institutions. In November last year, Bangit denied involvement in the supposed plan and categorically stated that the only participation of the soldiers in the coming elections is to exercise their right of suffrage. [See: Ermita: No shortcuts in replacing AFP chief Ibrado] Still, militant umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) maintained Bangit’s designation creates greater uncertainties in the upcoming elections. The group dared Bangit to make a categorical statement that if there is a failure of elections, he will not install Mrs. Arroyo in power indefinitely. "Gen. Bangit should make a categorical statement that should there be a failure of elections, he will not move to install Mrs. Arroyo in power indefinitely. He should pledge to uphold civilian supremacy and he should not let the military stop peaceful mass protest actions," Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said in a statement posted on the Bayan Website Tuesday. Perceived closeness Reyes added the biggest question in Bangit’s appointment is his perceived closeness to President Arroyo. If there is a failure of elections, he said, Bangit may be useful in keeping President Arroyo in power indefinitely. "He may be Mrs. Arroyo’s ace up her sleeve should there be a power vacuum," he said. "It remains to be seen if his loyalty is really with the Constitution or with his adopted PMA classmate, the current president and commander-in-chief." He said that controversies regarding the appointment could have been avoided if Mrs. Arroyo simply let the next president choose the next chief of staff. "All of Mrs. Arroyo’s appointments at this point are suspect. No one trusts her. No one believes she will quietly step down when her term ends. Everything she is doing is for political survival beyond 2010," Reyes said. - LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV