Top AFP men wooed anew to turn against Arroyo, official says

Political opponents of the administration are again making attempts to convince some military officials, including Armed Forces chief Gen. Generoso Senga, to withdraw support from President Gloria Arroyo in another bid to oust her from office. A ranking official of the Armed Forces said that Arroyo's opponenets are targeting, either through "blackmail" or "enticements," some of the 70 witnesses who testified before a military investigating panel headed by then Rear Adm. Mateo Mayuga, that probed into the reported involvement of some generals and officers in the alleged electoral fraud in the May 2004 elections to favor Mrs. Arroyo. The official said the opposition believes that some of the witnesses must have testified that cheating indeed took place, but their testimonies were brushed aside. "Some people in the opposition are in search of charismatic military officials to withdraw support from the administration. They have been holding meetings since March and the subject of convincing the top brass has been repeatedly discussed," the official said. One of the meetings was reportedly held at the San Juan residence of a close ally of deposed President Joseph Estrada. The official said that also being eyed for "persuasion" by the opposition groups are the generals who were exonerated by Mayuga investigating panel. Last February, Malacañang said that it has thwarted a "rightist-leftist" coup attempt to be triggered by withdrawal of support from the President by senior military officials led by Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, head of the First Scout Ranger Regiment based in Bulacan. Mrs. Arroyo declared a weeklong state of national emergency and authorities cracked down on suspected plotters, including leftist politicians and rightist military officers. Lim remains under detention pending court martial proceedings. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor, however, said that the opposition would fail in their attempts to entice the Armed Forces' leadership to venture into politics. "The opposition should better be careful because they are treading on dangerous grounds in trying to politicize the military," Defensor said. He said the Mayuga report should put an end to questions on the legitimacy of the Arroyo administration. –GMANews.TV