Group files complaint vs DND chief, 2 generals
Militant party-list Bayan Muna has filed a complaint with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against Defense chief Norberto Gonzales and two ranking military officials for allegedly committing election offenses. In a 24-page petition, Bayan Muna alleged that Gonzales, Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit and Army chief Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu took part in partisan political activity and harassed the militant group's supporters, senatorial aspirant Satur Ocampo, and other progressive candidates. The group said the Comelec should prosecute the three officials for "misusing" their official powers and fuctions by ordering military personnel to conduct "nationwide, organized, ad systemic attacks" against their candidates and supporters." Promptly, the military denied the allegations. "They never participated in any partisan political activity. We [AFP] never engage in partisan politics," military information chief Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos told GMANews.TV in a phone interview. Gonzales could not be reached for comment. 'Electoral intervention, fraud' In the petiition, Bayan Muna cited various instances when some military officers supposedly threatened, harassed, and intimidated their supporters and voluteers in different provinces. It likewise said that there have been instances when their campaign posters and other propaganda were defaced. Because of this, the group asked the poll body to subpoena the military's intelligence funds expenditure to investigate if these were spent on "electoral intervention and fraud." "We have officials in the military and the government especially Bangit, Mapagu, ad Gonzalez who have turned a deaf ear despite the glaring evidence of violations committed by their subordinates. We will make sure that the perpetrators of these attacks are seriously prosecuted to hammer the message that the military should not interfere in the elections," said Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares. Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC) prohibits "threats, intimidation, terrorism, use of fraudulent evidence or other forms of coercion." It said any person who directly or indirectly threatens, intimidates, or actually causes, inflicts, or produces ay violence, injury, punishment, damage, loss, or disadvantage upon any person is in violation of the OEC. Violation of the OEC is considered an election offense, which is punishable by one to six years imprisonment, disenfrachisement, and disqualification from holding public office. — Kimberly Jane Tan and Sophia Dedace/RSJ, GMANews.TV