Spying on the ‘enemy’

EDITORIAL

The explanation of the Philippine Navy regarding the reported surveillance by military intelligence agents of the residence of National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera is incredulous.

To say that the surveillance of Lumbera’s residence was an exercise for Philippine Marine Corporal Hannibal Mondido Guerrero’s surveillance training class was alarming and boosted allegations of cause-oriented groups and concerned individuals that the Armed Forces of the Philippines had been training its elements to spy and kill perceived “enemies” of the government like idealists.

The spokesman said the soldiers’ activities were merely part of surveillance training under the military’s Naval Intelligence Security Force. During such activities, trainees were supposedly given random addresses of unidentified civilians where they would conduct mock surveillance operations.

If the explanation of the Philippine Navy spokesman is to be believed, then we wonder why our military intelligence agents have to train at the expense of ordinary innocent citizens. This is a clear violation of a citizen’s human rights, particularly the right to privacy and security.

This explanation should not be accepted at face value by the citizenry. This is a lame explanation. The AFP is not a private army. It is supposed to protect the rights of the people. But at the rate the rabid dogs are faring and only a few are complaining, such alleged disappearances and murder of targeted civilians, mostly activists will continue.

It is in relation to this that opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero urged the government, through the defense or military hierarchy, to investigate reports that the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has put up an advocacy group that may be used for next year’s elections.

“These are serious allegations that should be cause for alarm. The military’s intelligence office has no business putting up advocacy groups whether for the elections or any undertaking. The government should look into this immediately,” Escudero said.

According to a report in a national newspaper, the ISAFP has allegedly established an advocacy group called “Aagapay,” but some of its agents have expressed concerns on the timing of its creation.

“The ISAFP, as part of the AFP, is a military institution and should not engage in civilian affairs. Its budget is limited to its primary mandate and no conversion is allowed to accommodate extracurricular activities,” Escudero said. "There is something sinister in the idea of the Armed Forces' intelligence service putting up and operating advocacy groups," he noted.

The newspaper report quoted an alleged agent of the ISAFP who was being recruited into this advocacy group. Maj. Gen. Romeo Prestoza, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1978 that adopted President Arroyo as a member, heads the ISAFP.

The military's role in the elections next year, according to Escudero, is confined to security or logistics and only after it has been deputized by the Commission on Elections. Anything other than these functions should be off limits.