Garci General behind plot to rig 2007 polls
Junior officers urged to speak up vs military electioneering
The Kabataan Partylist today said massive electoral fraud has already begun to take place less than a week before election day with no less than the AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon serving as its main operator.
The youth partylist accused of the Garci general of masterminding the new plot to rig the results of the 2007 midterm elections dubbed as Oplan Mercury Rising which was recently disclosed by an election watchdog.
“History is repeating itself. The same personalities who figured prominently in the massive vote rigging in 2004 rigging are also the ones being accused of electioneering in this elections,” Kabataan Partylist President and First Nominee Raymond Palatino said.
“Unfortunately, it will be easier for election operators in the military to manipulate the outcome of this elections with Gen. Esperon at the helm of AFP,” he added.
Palatino said Gen. Esperon’s continued stay in power will continue to cast doubts over the neutrality of the military and the credibility and integrity of the upcoming polls.
“For as long as Gen. Esperon remains the front man and the main operator of the AFP, the youth and the public cannot hope for a truly clean and honest 2007 elections.”
Meanwhile, Palatino called on patriotic junior officers and rank and file soldiers to come out and speak up against military electioneering.
“We call on our fellow youth and patriotic officers to defend democracy and the integrity of the upcoming elections. Let us not allow these election operators at the chain of command to use the military establishment to manipulate the outcome of this elections.”