MANILA, June 28 (PNA) — Outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang expressed his willingness on Sunday to face the class suit which a group of farmers is planning to file against him.
The farmers are claiming ownership of 200 hectares of land located at a military reservation in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija.
A local court earlier dismissed the claims of the farmers.
Catapang said he is ready to sacrifice his retirement benefits to fight for the AFP and its soldiers who would benefit from off-base housing facilities which will be erected in the above-mentioned land.
The AFP chief, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1981, is scheduled to retire on July 11 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.
“The AFP calls on the settlers to respect the court decision penned by Judge Evelyn Atienza-Turla of the Regional Trial Court Branch 40 which also ordered them to vacate the military reservation area,” Catapang said. (PNA)