AFP, PNP chiefs meet amid talk of failure of elections
MANILA, Philippines - Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Delfin Bangit and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director-General Jesus Verzosa met behind closed doors in Camp Crame on Friday.
The two were tight-lipped about the meeting.
But observers said it may have something to do with Verzosa's position on the possibility of having a holdover president in the event of a failure of elections.
The Friday meeting was the first time Verzosa and newly-installed Bangit came face-to-face since the PNP chief declared last week he will not join any effort to install President Arroyo as holdover president in case of a failure of elections in May.
“According to the Constitution, we must have a new president after June 30,” Verzosa told the Philippine Daily Inquirer last March 11. “We will not support any unconstitutional acts. We will do all things to preserve our democracy and the democratic processes."
Verzosa, however, declined to comment on whether he and Bangit talked about such a scenario. He said Bangit merely paid a courtesy call.
They also discussed the military and the PNP's joint activities that will ensure orderly elections.
"The things that we talked about pertain to our current functions that we are doing, especially our problems in the south, itong ating partisan groups, yung fina-follow up natin, and especially the joint operations that we are conducting," Verzosa said.
But sources said it was unusual for the AFP chief to visit the PNP chief, especially since there was no command conference or scheduled event.
Bangit refused to comment on the meeting.
Bangit was accompanied by the heads of the major commands, including Navy chief Admiral Ferdinand Golez, and Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena.
The source added the two leaders seemed displeased as they stepped out of the meeting.
Malacañang has denied that President Arroyo and Verzosa had a rift because of the PNP chief's remark on holdover presidency.
Conflicts in the President's schedule were blamed for her absence at the PNP academy graduation rites on Thursday.
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COMELEC to be blamed in case elections fail
Malacanang warned that a military junta could take over the reins of power in the country should there be a massive failure of elections and no winner is declared in the May 10 presidential elections by the end of President Arroyo’s term on June 30.
On the other hand, COMELEC Chairman Jose Melo repeatedly stated that he is 100% sure of a successful automated election come May 10, 2010. The only reason that would cause a failure of elections will be due to force majeure or an act of God, such as earthquake and typhoon.
So, if the element of a force majeure does not exist and if there is failure of elections and no winner is declared, who will be blamed? This is the answer of Chairman Melo on the following links:
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/02/24/10/COMELEC-chairman-offers-quit-...
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20100...
From Link 1: MANILA, Philippines (Update 1) - The chairman of the Commission on Elections on Wednesday said he is willing to resign if plans to automate the May 10 polls fail. In an interview, COMELEC Chairman Jose Melo said he will resign if the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines fail to deliver accurate election results and if the system gets hacked. "Personally, kung kunwaring it's the fault of the COMELEC, I will get out. Pagka may mangyari. I will not shirk responsibility," he told reporters. He even joked that he would be willing to face a "firing squad" if poll automation fails.
Form Link 2: MANILA, Philippines—Commission on Elections (COMELEC) chairman Jose Melo said Wednesday that he would quit his post if the May automated polls becomes a failure. “Personally, if it's the fault of the COMELEC, I will get out… but not if something happens beyond our control just to be fair to COMELEC employees,” Melo said.
Melo was referring to force majeure or events that are beyond the COMELEC's control, which would cause the failure in the operation of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines in automating the stages of the election.
Since the force majeure scenario is of remote possibility, and as Malacanang had already announced at the earliest that a military junta could take over the reins of power, then, this is crystal-clear that all Malacanang plans and options are in the process and in the offing.
In view of the foregoing, can we just sit down and allow the Arroyo Military Junta to take over the reins of power of the government just because the COMELEC failed to deliver their sacred duty to our beloved country?
My fellow countrymen, let democracy prevail and reign and if we need to go to the streets again, count me as one who is willing to be there to join you for a just cause.
LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY. LONG LIVE DEMOCRATIC PHILIPPINES.
What are you meeting about?!?
Are they meeting to discuss what to do in case of failure of election or are they meeting to plan how to create a failure of election and bargaining of the positions in the government they will held afterwards.
I think the current government is giving a glimps to the Filipinos that this will happen and wanting the people to react. In that way they will be able to hear the militant group's reactions and the possible cases that they will face in case it happen so they can plan ahead on how to face it soon when the real event is happening.
Everything is planned, they will never let the media know about a meeting if they don't have a purpose in letting the Filipinos know about it. I am sure there were lots of meetings that we don't know about because they don't want us to know about it. So why letting us know about this one? Think about it?
Filipinos are FED UP!
GMA military can plan all they want, GMA can cheat all she wants, the SC justices can twist the law all they want, GMA CONGRESS can rob our tax money all they want, BUT THERE IS ALWAYS AN END TO EVERY STORY. HISTORY WILL REPEAT ITSELF. Just like the FATE OF MARCOS and his LOYAL GENERALS in the 80s, THE FILIPINO PEOPLE WILL SOON HAVE THEIR VOICE either through the ballot or in the streets... Ang mga Pilipino, marunong magpasensya, pero kapag naubos mo ang pasensya ng Pilipino, matitikman mo ang galit nila.
"To serve and protect" to "We'll treat you like a PRESIDENT(FAKE
1. NBN? ZTE Scandal
2. Millions of bribe money to Congressmen and Governors (October 2007)
3. Cheating in 2004 Elections (Hello Garci)
4. Joc Joc Bolante Case (Fertilizer Scam, P728 Million)
5. Jose Pidal Bank Account (Unexplained Wealth, P200 Million)
6. Nani Perez Power Plant Deal ($2 Million)
7. Use of Road User's Tax for Campaigning
8. Billion Peso Macapagal Boulevard (Overprice of P532 Million)
9. Juetengate? (Illegal Numbers game kickbacks)
10. Extra Judicial Killings
11. Arroyo Moneys in Germany (Exposed by Senator Cayetano)
12. General Garcia and Other Military Men
13. Billion Peso Poll Automation contract (P1.3 Billion)
14. Northrail Project($503 Million)
15. Maguindanao Results of 2007 Elections (Zubiri, Bedol)
16. NAIA-3
17. Venable Contract (Norberto Gonzales)
18. Swine Scam (Exposed by? Atty. Harry Roque
19. GLORIA Arroyo son hidden assets in united states
Pray no double talk
The statement of Gen. Versoza was most reassuring. Let's just hope he is not engaged in double talk because, as we have seen in the past, most military officers, because of their culture, are blindly loyal to their patrons.
Can't you just damn respect that!
"But observers said it may have something to do with Verzosa's position on the possibility of having a holdover president in the event of a failure of elections."
"But sources said it was unusual for the AFP chief to visit the PNP chief, especially since there was no command conference or scheduled event."
Gagawa na naman ng haka-haka at istorya itong mga manghuhula at rumor-mongerer out of this meeting. Maghintay na lang kayo ng presscon pwede ba bago kayo gumawa na naman ng gulo!