The military’s joining moves to oust President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will never happen, Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado, Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command chief for Visayas, said yesterday.

“It is our stand that if there is a need to ferret out the truth, it should be done in a proper forum, not through anything else outside of the judicial system,” Ibrado, who was in Bacolod City, said.

If we do things outside of the Constitution, we will weaken the constitutional institution. What will happen to us and our democracy? he asked.

“What we are doing right now is trying to sustain the gains we have made out of EDSA,” he said.

Kabankalan Bishop Patricio Buzon said they should not be pressured to take sides and make a political decision, stressing “ As for the Church, we are pastors”.

“I think it is unfair. That is not our role. What is important for us is to support the move in ferreting out the truth,” Buzon said.

Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines stressed that they will not call for military intervention.

“It is better for all of us that our military people remain as they are,” he said.

NBN-ZTE witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada has called for the military and the PNP to make a stand on the issue of alleged  corruption in the Arroyo government, which is fueling calls for President Arroyo’s resignation or removal from office.

Bishop Vicente Navarra said while and the clergy under the Diocese of Bacolod are calling for the resignation of President Arroyo, they are against the use of violence.

While the New People’s Army will opt for violence in order for the truth to come out, the Church, especially the Diocese of Bacolod, will never stand for violence, he added.

Ibrado said the creation of Church Military Advisory Group- Negros yesterday should not be given a political color. “I don’t think that is going to be talked about by CMAG-Negros,” he said, in response to questions that the group may also tackle the ouster of President Arroyo.

That is a political issue and outside of the scope of CMAG- Negros, he said.

Ibrado also downplayed reports of fresh attempts to recruit soldiers to further destabilize the government, saying there were none in the Visayas area who have joined moves against the president.

Many soldiers in the past who joined in coup attempts, were abandoned by the same people who recruited them. “They are now having a hard time in trying to eke out a living,” Ibrado said.*GPB

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