Army lauded for remarkable transformation

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 18): Army lauded for remarkable transformation

The Philippine Army has remarkably transformed from being alienated from the people to being on way to its best, a top lawyer who belongs to the Philippine Army’s Multi-Sector Advisory Board (MSAB), said.

"Now, we have transformed military,” said Lawyer Arnel Paciano Casanova, former president and chief executive officer of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), who has been working with the Armed Forces of the Philippines since 1993.

“I’ve seen the best and the worst in the AFP. But I would say today that our Armed Forces of the Philippines, particularly the Philippine Army, is on its way to be on its best."

Paciano who has been part of the government negotiating panel during the revolutionary attempts of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) of now Sen. Gregorio Honasan and during the so-called Oakwood Mutiny of now Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV addressed members of the 7th Infantry Division MSAM and military officers at the 7ID Clubhouse here for the 7ID Governance Forum.

“Transforming single individual soldier as well as transforming the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Army as an institution, it is a response to the painful past of the Armed Forces that have been for quite a while have been alienated from our people because of the dark pages in our history, particularly in the dark days of the dictatorship," he said.

He urged soldiers to be always guided by the Article 2, Section 3 of the Philippine Constitution.
“This should be memorized by heart by every single soldier. Civilian authority is at all times supreme over the military. The Armed Forces of the Philippines is the protector of the people and the state. Its goal is to secure the sovereignty of the state and the integrity of the national territory.”

He noted that the provision even made the people first before the State.

Casanova also noted the provision was included in the Constitution that was drafted after the Marcos dictatorship.

He narrated to soldiers how the neighborhood in their barrio, where houses had no fence, lived in fear.

"I remember every single night we heard footsteps of people walking along our house. We were always afraid, we do not know if that the New People's Army (NPA)  or we do not know if it is the Army or the PC (Philippine Constabulary). But, by and large whether it is the Army or the NPA or the PC we are all afraid because we are expecting gunfire at any moment,” he said, adding that, "because the encounter would happen right where we are.”

One day, he said, their house was ransacked by Philippine Constabulary members who poked guns at his very young siblings.

"That is a very traumatic experience I have with our military, particularly the Constabulary,” he said.
Casanova said that soldiers and officers must conduct themselves at all times with dignity and pride, which he added is in connection with their goal of becoming a world -class Army by 2028.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=941247