AFP to laud Arroyo through a farewell parade on Friday

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will hold on Friday a testimonial parade and review for outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to acknowledge her “numerous accomplishments" during her nine years as its commander-in-chief. AFP chief General Delfin Bangit and Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales—both occupying posts that President-elect Benigno Aquino III wants vacated when Arroyo bows out on June 30—will lead about 1,500 soldiers in a parade to be held at the national headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Friday. The testimonial parade and review is a traditional military honor usually given to retiring officials of the Armed Forces to give them the last chance to view their troops. Bangit, perceived to be an Arroyo loyalist, described the outgoing president as a commander-in-chief with “a solid direction towards a more effective, more capable, and more professional AFP." “The [military] is very grateful to its commander-in-chief, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who has led the [AFP] to numerous accomplishments during her term," he told reporters on Thursday. Bangit, who was appointed by Arroyo as military chief four months ago, will reportedly be replaced when President-elect Aquino III assumes office on June 30. (See: Bangit won’t be allowed to stay another year — Noynoy) http://www.gmanews.tv/story/193156/bangit-wont-be-allowed-to-stay-another-year-noynoy AFP spokesperson Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos, for his part, said the parade is only “befitting" to Arroyo, who he said contributed a lot in solving the kidnapping problem in Mindanao, as well as the communist insurgency across the country. “There was a clear direction in the fight against communist insurgency under President Arroyo. Six years after the deadline (to defeat insurgents) in 2004, the strength of armed insurgency has been reduced to its historic low figures. More provinces have been declared as insurgency free. The AFP, under President Arroyo, was able to set the trend against insurgency that can be sustained by the next administration," he said. Burgos likewise lauded Arroyo for her military modernization program and her efforts to increase soldiers’ pay. Arroyo faced three major attempts by military-based groups to destabilize her administration – the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003, the February 2006 failed power grab, and the November 2007 siege of the Manila Peninsula Hotel. Among the issues raised by the AFP dissidents against Arroyo was massive corruption in her administration and evidence of cheating in the 2004 presidential elections that placed the legitimacy of her rule under question.—ACC/JV, GMANews.TV