DAVAO CITY, April 23 (PIA) A top military officer ordered the soldiers to be impartial at all times in view of the May 13, 2013 national and local midterm elections.
General Emmanuel Bautista, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines told reporters that the primary guidance for this election is to help the poll body conduct peaceful elections side by side with the police.
Bautista said soldiers must be non-partisan in the whole electoral process.
He said they still awaiting for instructions from the Commission on Elections on the finality of the election watch list nationwide.
“We are still awaiting guidance from the poll body on the final watch list but my order to the soldiers is to stay impartial all the time while we provide security to ensure the sanctity of the electoral process and the safety of the people,” Bautista said.
Major General Ricardo Rainier Cruz, new commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command echoed Bautista, stressing the need for all his soldiers to be non-partisan.
He stressed that need to provide all security services equally to all parties who seek assistance from the military.
Cruz also vowed to pursue the Internal Security Plan: Bayanihan.
He said he wants all units under the EastMinCom to adopt the Bayanihan-team operation in order to deny the communist rebels the opportunity to penetrate the communities.
“We will fill in the vacuum left by the local government. The people in the countryside will feel the presence of the government initially through the soldiers and then we transfer whatever established project to the local government units for them to continue,” he said.
Cruz took over the command from retired General Jorge Segovia, who relinquished his command as he celebrates today his 56th birthday, the mandatory age of retirement for military officers. (PIA XI-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)
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