Lt. Gen. Ralph Villanueva assured that the Armed Forces of the Philippines stationed in Visayas will not be used by anybody in the May 10 elections.

Villanueva, commanding general of the AFP Central Command, said Saturday, “Our job is very clear, which is to ensure honest, peaceful and orderly elections and to reduce insurgency into an insignificant level”.

He also defended the appointment of classmate General Delfin Bangit – as AFP chief, who is under fire because of his closeness to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whose critics claim may affect the impartiality of the military in the May 10 elections.

Bangit, Villanueva, newly-appointed Army chief Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu and Maj. Gen. Vicente Porto, 3rd Infantry Division commander, are members of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1978, of which President Arroyo is an honorary member.

Describing Bangit as a very professional officer, Villanueva debunked claims that some military officers were disappointed with the designation of Bangit.

He said he is not aware of any military officers who were demoralized by the appointment, as AFP chief, of Bangit, whom he also described as a competent leader.

“He (Bangit) is loyal, not only to the President, but also to the Constitution,” Villanueva stressed.

Villanueva said they are focusing their efforts on making the remaining NPA members operating in Negros, Panay, Samar and Leyte irrelevant before the end of the second quarter of 2010.

The AFP Central Command recently declared the island provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Biliran and Guimaras as insurgency-free, with the internal security responsibility handed over to the police and their respective Provincial Peace and Order Councils.

Brig. Gen. Francisco Cruz Jr., AFP Civil Relations Service chief, said the combined efforts of the AFP, PNP, and local government units had led to the clearing of the four provinces in Visayas, by addressing the root causes of the insurgency problem.

Cruz added that25 more provinces will be declared insurgency-free by the end of the second quarter this year.*GPB

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