PHILIPPINES NEWS SERVICE — TWO members of the Philippine Military Class 77, who were named as among those airing their grievances with their underclass in Class 78, yesterday came out to deny their role and branding the purported rift as “plain intrigue.”
“We have no quarrel with Class 78; they are all good and professional. I don’t know how my name got mixed up in that press statement,” Chief Supt. Angel Sunglao, PRO9 regional director, told People’s Tonight in a phone interview.
Likewise, PRO4-A director Chief Supt. Perfecto Palad said he has “nothing to do” with the recent rash of negative publicity coming out in the newspapers targeting the members of Class 78.
“Intriga lang ’yan, ewan ko nga bakit kasama pa ang pangalan ko d’yan,” Palad told this reporter in a separate phone interview yesterday.
“The Academy (PMA) never teaches us to quarrel with our underclassmen and besides, it’s wrong,” Sunglao said.
He added they are “happy” over the way things PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa (Class 76) is running the PNP and that they have “lots of friends and acquaintances” with the members of Class 78, the most prominent of whom is Army chief Lt. General Delfin Bangit.
Since Monday, news reports have it that the rise of Class 78 is fomenting disgruntlement in the police and military organizations, a charge flatly denied by Palad and Sunglao to this reporter.
For his part, Bangit told Tonight that he is not going to dignify the “false and malicious” accusations currently being aired against him and his class.
A purported “Oplan August Moon” is allegedly being hatched by Class 78 to dominate the top leadership of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police, with Bangit as the main beneficiary and by extension, their adopted classmate or “mistah,” Pres. Macapagal Arroyo.
“I am not losing sleep over it because that purported ‘plot’ is non-existent. Gusto lang ng ilang grupo na mahati ang katapatan ng ating Sandatahang Lakas at PNP sa ating Konstitusyon at sa ating gobyerno.
“Whoever these groups are, they should better stop for they will never succeed.
“I can assure our people of the AFP’s professionalism and dedication to the chain of command, whoever is at the helm of our government and the military leadership.
“We shall remain professional all the way,” Bangit said.