Town dad seeks relief of top army officers in their locality

By ROMMEL L. RUTOR
September 1, 2006

SAN JORGE, Samar – Citing at least 3 grounds of alleged misconduct being perpetrated by elements of the 34th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army led by LtCol. Glorivine Dida, whose military camp is hosted by this town, Mayor Joseph Grey here finally broke his temper by seeking the immediate relief of the battalion’s high ranking officers.

In a letter addressed to the newly installed 8th Infantry Division Commander MGen. Rodrigo Maclang, which was likewise sent to the AFP higher headquarters and to the Secretary of National Defense in Manila, the town mayor requested to effect an immediate relief of LtCol. Dida and some of his officers for alleged political partisanship, military harassment, and for using the army funds and resources in advancing the alleged political plots of the town’s vice-mayor Marcelina Yu.

Based on the said letter, this writer gathered that LtCol. Dida has been carrying out projects in partnership with some NGOs in different barangays of this town by allegedly employing the direct involvement of the vice-mayor’s office here but subsequently by-passing the office of the local chief executive.

“Concededly, the military has wide latitude of discretion to implement civic programs and projects in the community to win back the trust and confidence of the public. This is in recognition that military solution is not the decisive way of winning the battle for a lasting peace. Said discretion however, is not ad infinitum, as it has to yield to the constitutionally recognized rule that the military must insulate itself from partisan politics. The sitting vice-mayor in our locality, cannot and should not, be allowed to exploit the military for her personal and partisan ends and benefits, and the military must always observe that insulation from partisan politics as a ‘tough rule’ to follow”, the mayor said in his letter.

The same letter pointed out the participation of the 34th IB commanding officer as allegedly being exploited by Vice-mayor Yu in propagating shoddy and malicious propaganda against the first family of San Jorge.

The letter particularly pointed out the alleged pronouncement of LtCol. Dida that he currently hold a copy of a standing warrant of arrest against one of the Mayor’s son which is accordingly charged with murder in Manila, and though the mayor did not comment nor elaborate on the issue stressed that: “And the fact that the army are consolidating various materials to demolish me in my locality when in fact it is not their duty to arrest wanted persons, and granting that a son of mine by that name is indeed here in my ward, will it free them of their misdemeanors as soldiers who cuddles erring politicians in my town?”, the mayor stressed.

Mayor Grey likewise branded as a form of harassment the spurious announcements allegedly made by one of the officers of the 34th IB in an unnamed municipality that their town is the most problematic place in Samar’s first district because of his and his family’s alleged notorious activities.

Further in his petition for the relief of the 34th IB officers, Mayor Grey stressed that the present situation confronting the people of this town relative to the alleged military partisanship in politics had been causing serious demoralization from the civilian populace, and moreover told “that the present leadership in the 34th IB appeared to have deviated from the basic and fundamental role of the army in the society, and it seems that under this condition, the military is once again exposed to a serious public scrutiny and judgment”, the mayor concluded.

“Action speaks louder than words” – San Jorgehanons say

Meanwhile, Mayor Joseph Grey reacted to the recent statement issued by LtCol. Glorivine Dida, commanding officer of the 34th Infantry Battalion here, regarding the mayor’s unavailability whenever the army is set to coordinate their programs in the locality, disclosing that the first medical mission Operation Blessing conducted by the 34th IB in partnership with a religious NGO in Brgy. Blanca Aurora of this town last Nov. 15, 2005 has been successfully implemented, “with us fully backing the army’s needs, including food and manpower support, because it was well coordinated with the LGU”, the mayor exclaimed.

“And granting that I am out for official business, why can’t they send in their communication to my office as they used to do before? If I am out, it doesn’t necessarily mean that my office has no competent personnel that will handle their concerns, ang babaw naman ng dahilan nila, e kahit nga sa 8ID kapag ba wala si Gen. Maclang, ang ibig bang sabihin ni koronel e hindi na magagampanan ni Gen. Maclang ang gawain niya as the chief of the division?”, he explained.

“Bakit, kung may kapal-pakan ba na mangyari sa mga pinag-gagawa nila, hindi ba ako ang sisihin ng mga tao, I am the mayor of this town, and I am responsible of my constituents welfare, dapat alam nila yon, alam ko that they have their own judgment that pertains to essence and nature of their work, pero dapat respetuhin din naman nila ang opisina ko”, Mayor Grey added.

The chief executive here cited at least 3 complaints of some barangays here particularly those that were awarded a water system project via the Operation Blessings being implemented by the 34th IB here but was not coordinated with the LGU, “but well coordinated with the office of the vice-mayor”, says Mayor Grey.

The mayor presented to the media one of the 3 barangay captains but requested not to be named for security reason, who subsequently informed that their barangay was asked to contribute P10,000.00 pesos as counterpart in the said project which according to them is only a simple “jetmatic pump” , “an problema kay kadadako na han ak gastos pagpinaka-un han mga sundalo nga nagtrabaho han jetmatic pump kay por lo menos 120 hira tanan nga nakadto upod na an iba nga ak kabarangay, kay baga lugi gad an barangay han panhitabo, kay baga rehab nala ngani adto kay may-ada naman da-an didto nga luho ngan tubo”, the barangay captain informed.

The said barangay captain likewise revealed that they were herded inside the 34th IB camp with a certain army Major informing them that the army doesn’t want politics to interfere in the said water-system project that is why they did not invited local government leaders, but all were surprised when they allegedly saw Vice-Mayor Yu during that meeting.

“Bisan ngani dida han medical mission nira ha amon, nakadto gihap ito nga Major ngan ginpanid-ngan kami, upod an am mga BHWs nga dire na kinahanglan i-inpormar iton mayor ngan an iba nga opisyal han bungto han nasabi nga medical mission, labot la daw kan vice-mayor Yu, pero kay gin-inpormar  gad la gihap nam hi mayor”, the barangay captain revealed.

On the other hand teachers and barangay officials here confirmed to the media that there is no truth to the pronouncement of the 34th IB that they are not extending personal security details to the vice-mayor.