Defense chief: Up to Mayuga board to reveal findings

Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz said Friday he would leave it up to the military body that investigated the alleged involvement of high-ranking officers in cheating in the 2004 elections to reveal their findings. The probe was headed by Navy chief Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga, who was then Armed Forces of the Philippines Inspector General. When asked to confirm Cruz's pronouncement, Mayuga said: "Maybe, I still don't know. I'm out of the country." He is in Indonesia on an official visit. Mayuga led the board that started the probe shortly after Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye made public in June last year wiretapped conversations between President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ad former elections commissioner Virgillo Garcillano. In the "Hello Garci" tapes, the names of four generals were mentioned: Army chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, who was then Army Special Operations Command chief; retired Lt. Gen Roy Kyamko, then Southern Command (Southcom) chief; Southcom chief Maj. Gen. Gabriel Habacon; and, retired Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani, then 1st Marine Brigade commander. The controversial tapes seemed to imply that Esperon, Kyamko and Habacon took part in cheating to ensure Mrs. Arroyo’s victory, while Gudani was identified as an opponent of the President. Gudani was sacked as assistant superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy in September last year after he testified at the Senate, shortly before his retirement, that the military was involved in cheating in elections in Lanao del Sur. The Mayuga board forwarded the results of the probe to Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Generoso Senga on Jan. 20. After reviewing it, Senga submitted the report to the defense secretary. Early last month, Cruz said he was still reviewing the board's report and that it would be the prerogative of the President, as commander-in-chief, to make the report public. Cruz said three weeks later that he had forwarded the report to the President late last month. Various groups have demanded the release of the probe’s findings. Senate national defense committee chairman Rodolfo Biazon said the long delayed release of the Mayuga board report has contributed to restiveness in the military. Esperon has countered that troops were merely curious about the report, but said he favored making the report public. The Army chief expressed confidence he would be exonerated.-GMANews.TV