Noynoy bares meetings with soldiers over poll fears

Several military officers had met with opposition presidential bet Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III (Liberal Party) to express their fears on the possible failure of elections on May 10. In an ambush interview Monday after an LP press briefing in Quezon City, Aquino said the officers were mostly members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) classes of 1977 and 1978, with some coming from “younger batches" in the PMA. “I take it in the context na pare-pareho silang mamamayan na may mga concerns sa parating nating election at ine-express lang nila sa public servant, they are part of the public that I serve," he said. (They, as citizens, have concerns about the upcoming elections, and they wanted to express those concerns to a public servant.) Aquino, son of the late President Corazon “Cory" Aquino and slain Sen. Benigno “Ninoy" Aquino Jr., said he met with the groups of soldiers separately. He did not elaborate. The PMA class of 1978 recently earned controversy after several of its members were appointed to key positions in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The batch includes President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as an honorary member. AFP chief Gen. Delfin Bangit is a member of PMA class of 1978, as well as commanders of the Philippine Army and Philippine Air Force (PAF). Administration critics said the appointment of PMA class of 1978 members could be part of a government plot to establish a military junta and keep President Arroyo in power in case the elections fail. The May 10 elections will be the first ever nationwide automated elections in the country. Both Malacañang and the military have repeatedly denied the alleged junta plot. Aquino said the groups of soldiers he talked to were concerned about how they should react if the elections fail since the military is “one of the biggest stabilizing forces in the country." “There will be a lot of pressure on them to stabilize the situation. So they are also thinking what exactly their duty is," he said, adding that the soldiers have yet to figure out their possible response in case such situation arises. Aquino said he merely listened to the soldiers’ concerns. “I gave them an ear that was sympathetic to their concerns, to give them the idea that even their concerns are being addressed." He added that he was “very particular they [soldiers] will not be involved in partisan political activity." - KBK, GMANews.TV