mazingu

Jul 23 2009, 11:56 AM

The Makatarungan Class 1978 is now the ruling class? Former DND Secretary Avelino Cruz thinks so:

“What can we make of this latest announcement from President Arroyo that the 2010 elections would proceed? Can we trust her word this time? Or is the public again being lulled into complacency?” he asked.

Cruz also said the appointment of members of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1978 to key positions in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police could also be interpreted as part of the pattern. President Arroyo is an adopted member of the PMA “Makatarungan” Class of 1978.

“Mas komportable sya sa (She’s more comfortable with) Class 1978,” he said.

There are now 22 members of PMA Class ‘78 now in key positions in the AFP. They include J2 (Intelligence) Rear Adm . Victor Martir (Navy), Deputy J2 Commodore Efren Tedor (Navy), J3 (Operations) – Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza (Army), J6 Maj. Gen. Jonathan Martir (Marines), ISAFP-Maj. Gen. Romeo Prestoza (Air Force), and Presidential Security Group commander Brig. Gen. Celedonio Boquiren (Air Force).

In the Army, six of the 10 infantry divisions are under the control of Class of 1978 members. Even the commanding general of the Army, Lt.Gen. Delfin Ban git is a member of the class.

The Air Force is headed by a member of the class, Maj. Gen. Oscar Rabena as Commanding General while in the Navy, the chief of the Naval Staff, Commodore Feliciano Angue, and the head of the Cavite naval station, Commodore Nestor Los Banes are both members of Class 1978.

more..

Quote:

 

Class ’78 vs. Class ’77: PMA’s Clash of the Titans?
By Anthony Vargas
Posted on Apr. 20, 2010 at 8:48pm |

MANILA, Philippines – A new controversy is gaining ground among the alumni of the elite Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Masikap Class ’77 is suspecting that some members of PMA Class ‘78 have orchestrated a black propaganda aimed at discrediting some members of Class ‘77, particularly Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) chief.

An official of Class ‘77 who asked not to be identified said the meeting with Liberal Party standard-bearer Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III was “harmless and was not meant to involve us in partisan political activity but some imaginative Class ‘78 are trying to paint a scenario out of that event.”

“Class ‘78 has all the resources to run a smear campaign against their perceived enemies.  In this case, they think Ferrer is not an ally so he should be destroyed,” another Class ‘77 official based in Camp Aguinaldo said.
“I think they are targeting Lt. Gen Raymundo Ferrer who had expressed displeasure at being bypassed twice,” said a military official belonging to Class ‘79.

Ferrer was bypassed last month in the selection of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff and in the choice of head of the Philippine Army (PA). The posts went to Class `78 members, Gen. Delfin Bangit and Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu.

According to another member of Class ‘77, the Class 78 “operators” wanted to picture Ferrer as a “turncoat and opportunist” who defected from the camp of Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Manuel “Manny” Villar to Aquino.

Villar is an adopted classmate of Class ‘77.  Aquino and Villar are neck-and-neck in surveys.

“Simple lang yan.  Pag nanalo si Villar, laglag na si Ferrer kasi pinapalabas na kay Noynoy na siya. Ngayon pa lang pinapalabas nila na sipsip na si Ferrer kay Noynoy at nagsumbong pa [It’s simple.  If Villar wins, Ferrer is out because they (Class ’78) have projected him as pro-Noynoy.  Even now, they accuse Ferrer of sucking up to Noynoy and of being a squealer],” another senior military official said.

Another Class ‘77 officer surmised that Ferrer knows “some surprising incidents” when President Arroyo declared martial law in Mindanao and appointed him as administrator.

“Yung ninakaw sa mga Ampatuans, alam ni Ferrer kung sino ang may kagagawan niyan.  Hindi pa lang siya nagsasalita. Huwag nilang ipitin yan at baka magsisi sila [What was stolen from the Ampatuans, Ferrer knows who is responsible for that.  He’s not saying anything for now.  But they better not force his hand because they will be sorry],” the official said.

Meanwhile, the AFP leadership on Tuesday ordered a probe on the alleged weekend meeting between Ferrer and Aquino.

AFP Chief, General Delfin Bangit ordered the probe even as Ferrer denied that a meeting had taken place between him and the LP presidential aspirant.

“We would like to find what this meeting really is; if they are engaging in partisan political activities, which is strictly prohibited,” Bangit told defense reporters in a phone-patched briefing.

Bangit clarified, however, that he had already talked with Ferrer and that the East-MinCom chief denied that such a meeting took place.

“I have spoken last night to Gen. Ferrer and he personally denied what was written in papers, as he said there was no meeting, he was not consulting.  That’s all he said,” Bangit said.

The AFP chief said the probe will be conducted by the military’s Judge Advocate General’s Office (JAGO), which would also determine the corresponding action and punishment to “erring” military officers.

“If they we will be found…in case they will be, later on, established that they are engaging in partisan politics, then they know the regulations, that we will (have to follow).  That’s why as of now we are conducting an investigation,” Bangit said.