Military not engaged in partisan political activities

Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office chief Col. Noel Detoyato (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA -- The Makabayan bloc’s allegations that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), along with 

other government agencies, is engaged in partisan political activities are "meant to tarnish the image" of the military, an official said Thursday.

AFP Public Affairs Office chief, Col. Noel Detoyato, denied the allegations of the left-leaning group that the AFP, the Philippine National Police and the Department of the Interior and Local Government are into partisan political activities, system vilification, and red-tagging of organizations.

"The AFP will never engage in partisan politics. The sweeping statement of this group is meant to tarnish the image of the AFP, which is at the forefront of ensuring the security and safeguarding the rights of the voters so that they can freely go out and vote this coming mid-term elections," Detoyato said.

Detoyato said the Makabayan bloc should instead convince voters and the public that their group is not part of any violent efforts to topple the government.

"Why don't they just concentrate on convincing the voters that they are not part of the group that wants to bring down the government through violent means instead of concentrating on destroying the image of the Armed Forces of the Philippines," Detoyato said.

"The only time the voters will believe them that they are not part of the group that is conspiring to violently bring down the government and change our way of life is when they publicly denounce the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front) and its fronts," he said.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. ( By Priam Nepomuceno/PNA )