8 Marine tanks spotted in Metro not for destab move

Eight tanks arrived at the headquarters of the supposedly restive Philippine Marines in Fort Bonifacio at dawn Friday, but officials immediately clarified that this has nothing to do with any destabilization move. The tanks, consisting of Landing Vehicle Track (LVTs) and V300 and V150 commandos, arrived at the Marine headquarters around 2 a.m. in the company of at least eight 6 x 6 trucks loaded with tank crews, gunners and security personnel. Marine spokesman Maj. Melquiades Ordiales said the tanks were actually sent by the Marine headquarters for test-firing at the Crow Valley in Central Luzon on Thursday after undergoing repair and re-conditioning. Ordiales said the tanks left the Marine compound around 1 p.m. Thursday and arrived at Crow Valley four hours later. After a “whole day of test-firing," Ordiales said the tanks left Crow Valley around 9 p.m. Thursday for the Marine headquarters. Ordiales sought to calm people's fear on the movement of Marine troops and their tanks, saying: “These came from here (Marine headquarter). This (test-firing) is a normal process whenever we have repairs and reconditioning of our armored vehicles before they are deployed to the units." Ordiales said the movement of the troops and tanks was authorized by general headquarters. “We should not connect it (to destabilization moves) because this is known to GHQ, this is sanctioned by GHQ." “This is cleared, from our (Marine) Headquarters, to headquarters (of) the Philippine Navy, then at the GHQ. It’s a cleared movement of armored vehicles … I am not seeing any reason for the people to be alarmed. First of all, its part of our procedure," he said. ‘It is (movement) part of the system that we are doing to ensure that our armored vehicle are running smoothly before they are deployed in operational areas … It is not related to something that should frighten the people," he added. Ordiales said the tanks went back to the Marine headquarters on the wee hours to avoid causing traffic jams in major thoroughfares. “The movement is normally done at dawn for obvious reasons. This is a huge convoy and these are large vehicles that the convoy," he said. Bemedalled Marine officer, Col. Ariel Querubin, was being linked to the failed February 24 plot to overthrow the government, along with erstwhile First Scout Ranger Regiment commander Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim. On February 26, Querubin led scores of Marine officers and men in protesting the relief of their commandant, Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, at the Marine headquarters. Miranda was replaced by his deputy, Brig. Gen. Nelson Allaga. During the standoff, Querubin called on the people to proceed to the Marine headquarters to protect them from “aggressors". An officer sympathizing with Querubin even told mediamen that they want a clean election. President Arroyo is hounded by charges of rigging the results of the 2004 elections. An impeachment complaint was filed against Arroyo last year but was voted down by allies of the President at the House of Representatives. Ordiales said the officers and men of the Philippine Marines would not subscribe to idea of destabilizing the government. He said the February 26 incident was not related to the destabilization efforts, contrary to allegations of some military officers. AFP public information office chief Col. Tristan Kison has said the standoff at the Marine headquarters appeared to be connected with the failed power grab plan, noting that Querubin attempted to call for a People Power. Ordiales called the “spontaneous" act as an “isolated case" caused by confusion on Miranda’s relief. He said the officers and men of the Philippine Marines “would not allow ourselves to be used by politicians."-GMANews.TV