ARMED Forces chief Gen. Jose Faustino Jr vowed the military will be non-partisan in next year’s national and local elections, with the chiefs of the Army and the Navy vowing fair, orderly, and honest polls.
“The Armed Forces has always been and will be be non-partisan when it comes to elections,” Faustino said in an interview by CNN Philippines that was aired on Saturday night.
Several military officials were implicated in the alleged rigging of the results of the 2004 elections in favor of then presidential candidate Gloria Arroyo, who subsequently won.
A military fact-finding board investigated the officials, led by then AFP deputy chief for operations and now National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., but were cleared for lack of evidence and witnesses.
“Our mandate is to protect the people and secure the state and what’s the better way to do that than of course have this,” said Faustino, referring to a non-partisan military.
“We also pray for a peaceful and successful election. So we can guarantee that the Armed Forces will be non-partisan when it comes to this election,” he also said.
Faustino is reaching the retirement age of 56 on Friday. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has said he has recommended to President Duterte four senior military officers as possible successors of Faustino.
In the same interview, Army chief Lt. Gen. Andres Centino said the Army has always been a professional organization during elections.
Centino said he expects the Army to be tapped again to perform duties to ensure fair elections.
“We are confident (there will be fair elections) because in the past elections, we have shown that we are capable of ensuring that indeed we can have peaceful and orderly elections,” said Centino.
Navy chief Vice Adm. Adeluis Bordado said Navy personnel are professionals and they always want “a peaceful and honest elections.”
“So in tandem with the police, your Navy will ensure that this coming 2022 elections will be a peaceful and an honest one,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Arthur Cordura, chief of Air Staff of the Air Force who is serving as acting Air Force chief, said Air Force personnel are committed to professionalism during elections.
Cordura is serving as the Air Force chief in the absence of Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes who is on an official mission in Europe.
