AFP chief meets bishops, allays fears of military takeover

Armed Forces chief Gen. Delfin Bangit on Tuesday met with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to allay fears of a military takeover in case of a failure of elections. Bangit requested audience with the CBCP and briefed the clergymen on the military’s security preparations for the May 10 polls, military spokeperson Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos said on Tuesday. Bangit also assured the CBCP that the entire military “is for the Constitution" and that elections will be successful, he added. “(Bangit) assured that there is going to be no military takeover. At the same time, there will be no junta. Junta is unconstitutional. We will not resort to that," Burgos said. Deputy presidential spokesperson Charito Planas said last month that a military junta is possible in case polls fail, but later said that that elections will push through as planned. Col. Ricardo Nepomuceno, spokesperson of the military’s Task Force Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections (HOPE) meanwhile said soldiers are currently in place to protect automated polls machines deployed all over the country. “Our concept is area security and we will not even get near the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines as per Comelec Resolution 8823. They should not be loaded in military vehicles and soldiers are not allowed to have a physical contact with the PCOS machines," Nepomuceno said in a separate press briefing. Nepumuceno likewise said the military is confident that the elections will still push through, amid reports of PCOS machines failing to read votes accurately. [http://www.gmanews.tv/story/190005/some-poll-machines-fail-to-read-votes-accurately] “I think its good that they made the admission that as we near the election day, they discovered the loopholes and they have time to address the issue. What is difficult is they won’t admit it and will face the problem squarely," he said. “We are planning and preparing for a successful election and a smooth transition. We are also preparing for any eventuality in case some will sow violence and we are trying to show them that we are prepared and we are hoping that our preparedness will serve as deterrence," he added. - Andreo C. Calonzo, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV