Arroyo forms commission to dismantle private armies
MANILA - More than 8 years after she became commander-in-chief and with only 7 months left in her term, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the creation of an independent commission that will dismantle all private armies in the country.
This was one of the policy decisions reached after a two-hour National Security Council (NSC) meeting in Malacañang Friday afternoon.
"We are very happy to announce that one of the decisions arrived at is the creation of commission to dismantle private armed groups, especially those related to political clans," said Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.
Remonde said the high-level commission will be led by a retired Supreme Court justice.
Aside from dismantling private armies, the commission will also conduct an independent probe into the Maguindanao massacre, which killed 57 innocent civilians last November 23.
The massacre will be the take-off point for a thorough probe on how and why private armies have expanded in the Philippines.
The Palace will name the head of the commission once the person has accepted the post.
The commission will have broad powers, and it will conduct an internal investigation into the police and the armed forces following the discovery of an arms cache containing weapons from the Government Arsenal near the Ampatuans' house in Maguindanao.
Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno assured there will be transparency in the investigation into the massacre.
He said the commission will also review Executive Order 546, which authorizes the creation of private armed groups such as Civilian Volunteer Organizations or CVOs and Special Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (SCAAs).
These groups often end up as private armies of politicians.
Puno clarified, however, that EO 546 does not authorize the issuance of firearms to CVOs.
He said the government has taken steps to control private armies such as the proclamation of a firearms amnesty and limiting the bodyguards of politicians to 2 uniformed personnel.
According to Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Jesus Verzosa, the commission is timely given that the campaign period of the May 10, 2010 elections is just a few months away.
Verzosa said the number of private armies usually increases during elections.
He said the PNP is monitoring hotspots such as Masbate, Nueva Ecija, Abra, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu, and Samar, which have the most number of private armed groups.
Verzosa said the government is ready to use force to be able to dismantle these private armies. He added that the private armed groups of the Ampatuans have not yet been dismantled. -- report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
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Sino ang dapat unahin?
Any candidate proven to have a private army should be disqualified by Comelec.
Dapat unahin diyan ang mga warlords sa Isabela, Pampangga, Cagayan, at Ilocos.
ABS-CBN should be at the forefront of uncovering these private armies through investigative journalism. Boto-patrollers from these provinces should be asked to gather information leads. There is no more time to waste.
so easy done
disarm all none goverment personell, that means the only once who are permitted to carry firearms are Police, Military and permit holders.
Restrict permits to ON A NECCESARY BASE ONLY.
Anybody who gets caught with a weapon and no license goes top jail for not less then 5 years.
The trick is to restrict the issue of those licenses, thats the problem here, pay enough and you get one.
Means first you need to have to license issued in one place for the whole country, a goverment office in Manila with high class officials who are honest and fair.
Are there any honest officials in the Philippines ?????
Very difficult.
Massacre
To the Honorable former Secretary of Defense Mr. GIBO TEODORO..What can you say now? Claims of Magdalo group led by former Navy Trillanes has been proven...your corrupt activities within the military already came out..How much more if you are elected as president? Answer this question during the One on One forum with Ted Failon......How those high powered weapons sold to ampatuans?...To the Supreme Court & DOJ who jailed the magdalo group, what can you say now? Some Evidence of Magdalo claims already came out in public...Set Free those magdalo group...
Commissioning a circus
“Arroyo forms commission to dismantle private armies” what the shit is that. What pandak Arroyo only need to do is dissolve the EO 546 by proclamation and doesn’t need a commission to do that. At the end, it’s just a show, that won’t do anything at all even the dismantling of the EO 546. The fact is private armies are there to serve Gloria Arroyo’s interests together with his Tuta, like the Ampatuan clan rigging the election, and the suspected terrorists and losers are the Filipino people so why dismantle when it works for Gloria Arroyo. Who cares about the ignoramus Filipino people, anyway? Filipinos who care less, except their own comfort zone, waiting to be crushed by their president like lice.
Filipinos are waiting to die by the whim of their president. So, Filipinos, keep on sleeping, drinking, malling, etc.
Kawawang sundalo, patay sa bala ng gobyerno
Ngayon na napatunayan na ang isiniwalat ng Magdalo, dapat palayain ni GMA si Sen. Trillanes, Col. Querubin at Gen. Lim. Ang gobyernong ito ay nagbebenta ng baril, bala at kagamitan ng mga kasundaluhan sa mga kalaban at private armies lalo na ng mga kampon niya (Chavit, Ampatuan, et al). Mga gamit ng gobyerno na pumapatay sa mismong mga sundalo natin.
eto dapat gawin ni GMA para mabilib ako
Arroyo forms commission to dismantle private parts of private armies
AFP ON ITS OWN NOW AGAINST ABUS AND MILF
Now, the AFP and PNP would go on its own now in fighting the Abu Sayaff and MILF and keeping peace in Muslim Mindanao area. Corrupt former AFP generals (e.g. Garci general Hermogenes Esperon)were used to having by their side the Cafgus and CVOs funded by pork barrels of the Ampatuans.
We will see the 2010 ARMM election will be exciting as ever.
Back-stabbing ARROYO
After using the powerful Mindanao clans to cheat in the last two elections, she is now showing her true colors: she's a back-stabber.
.... Kaya kayong mga sipsip na politician, 'wag papasiguro... lalo ka na GIBO.... ginagamit ka lang ni pandak para maging madali ang pagiging Prime Minister niya....
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How about Chavet Singson?
How about the other guy who happens to be in Malacanang's payroll as a security consultant of this country ? Everyone knows that Chavet Singson is a warlord himself with a private army in his disposal in Ilocos.Is he included in this policy ?
EO
Hindi ba ikaw pandak ang nagbigay ng EO to support CVO's? so, it is your own shit so ikaw din dapat ang kumain at huwag ipasa sa iba ang paglilinis.