Corpus draws senators’ ire for remark on Loren

Opposition vice-presidential candidate Sen. Loren Legarda’s allies in the Senate ganged up yesterday on Brig. Gen. Victor Corpus for calling her a "political prostitute."

Senate President Pro Tempore Juan Flavier said Corpus’ attack on Legarda was an affront to women. "I thought it follows that an officer is a gentleman," he said. "Was I proven wrong by General Corpus, who threw into the sewer this concept with his mean and malicious comments on (Legarda)?"

"Loren is my friend," Flavier said, "but I would also rise up to defend the honor of all women as we see in them our mothers, sisters and daughters."

Flavier wants Corpus to publicly apologize to Legarda and seriously consider retirement from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Sen. Edgardo Angara said Corpus is known for doing "crazy things." He also said Corpus is "just masquerading as an intelligence officer with no intelligence."

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said that Corpus owes Legarda an apology — for using foul language and for allowing himself and the AFP to be used for partisan political ends.

In a statement, Pimentel said Corpus "tried to deviously destroy" the reputation of Legarda by "using unmitigated liars" as witnesses in investigations by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

"Let me remind Victor Corpus that we have laws that prohibit officers of the AFP and police from engaging in politicking," he said. "Also, the gutter language Corpus used on Loren was ungentlemanly and betrayed his breeding — or lack thereof."

Rein In The Dogs Of War

Pimentel also asked President Arroyo to "rein in her political dogs of war" and refrain from using government personnel and resources to discredit the opposition. He also asked the President not to resort to innuendoes and black propaganda.

After the Palace vehemently denied claims from the opposition that the Arroyo administration has been using the AFP to spy on Mrs. Arroyo’s rivals in the May 10 presidential derby, Corpus told The STAR that Legarda was monitored in a meeting with Saycon.

Corpus even described Legarda as a "political prostitute" who would do everything "even to the point of selling the country" just to gain power.

Corpus said Legarda met with Saycon in a number of meetings, during which the alleged plot to overthrow the government was discussed.

Legarda is the running mate of opposition Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr.

Instead of being dismissed from the service for the Ador Mawanay brouhaha, Corpus retained his post at Intelligence Service-Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP).

Corpus himself remains defiant, saying he is ready to explain to his senior officers the latest imbroglio in which he is involved.

Reprimanded Yet Defiant

AFP vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Garcia has ordered Corpus to explain his statement against Legarda, adding that "certainly, there are limits to what (Corpus) can say. He may have something in mind which means almost the same thing, but the word may have been too strong."

Corpus told The STAR that he has the evidence with which to back up his accusations linking Legarda and Saycon, adding that "it is easy to explain. I have the documents to prove (my allegations)."

Corpus was summoned to the office of AFP chief Gen. Narciso Abaya to explain his accusations. Abaya signed a reprimand letter addressed to Corpus for his "irresponsible statements... which were directed against a duly-elected government official," AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Danilo Lucero said.

Abaya also warned Corpus that a repetition of such action shall warrant more disciplinary action, Lucero said. He added that Corpus was "reminded to be more prudent next time in pronouncing any remark that might inadvertently be used for political propaganda and compromise the apolitical character of the men and women of the AFP."

Corpus "openly accepted" the reprimand letter delivered by Abaya "both orally and in written form," Lucero said.

Meanwhile, Malacañang has distanced itself yesterday from Corpus’ statement linking Legarda to Council on Philippine Affairs (COPA) leader Pastor "Boy" Saycon.

Saycon has been implicated in a fresh destabilization plot against the Arroyo administration and linked with the Kawal Pilipino group of soldiers calling for the ouster of Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Ricardo Saludo reiterated the "general policy" of government that any public officials who make such accusations - especially against a senator of the republic - must produce evidence to support their allegations. Corpus is not exempt from this policy, Saludo said.

"In general, I would say that anybody making allegations against anyone (else) should be ready to substantiate those allegations," Saludo said. "The general rule when we make statements (is) not to make them lightly and this applies to any officials. If any statements are made, (they) had better come with solid reasons."

Despite this, Saludo defended Corpus, who now heads the AFP civil relations office. He said Corpus has not violated the directives of Mrs. Arroyo barring the military from engaging in partisan political activities related to the May 10 national and local elections.

"I do not have the Palace reaction to that, but I will say that, being a person who is involved in (the) intelligence service, he (Corpus) may, from time to time, make statements about intelligence findings that are not necessarily... intended to be political," Saludo said.

"It is a reflection of (Corpus’) own intelligence thinking," Saludo said. "There may be other perspectives from within the AFP or outside."

Saludo also said Corpus is not connected with the Palace in his new assignment as AFP civil-military relations chief. Corpus resigned from the ISAFP helm after the Magdalo group of junior military officers demanded it during the failed July 27, 2003 mutiny in Makati City.

Defense, But With Distance

However, Corpus has seen regularly reporting to the Palace "war" room. Corpus has since been tasked with supervising the President’s Strong Republic Distance-Learning School in communist-infested barangays nationwide.

Saludo said the allegations hurled by Corpus against Legarda cannot be classified as partisan political statements.

"I won’t comment on what Gen. Corpus said, because I have no information on that," Saludo said.

"All I can say (is) these statements... should have basis and it’s the policy of the government that the AFP should not be involved in politics," he said.

Corpus’ statements cannot immediately be interpreted as being political in nature, he added. At this point, he said, "there are just statements that (Corpus) has intelligence information."

Saludo said he was not aware if the President has ordered Corpus to refrain from making further public statements or meted any sanctions on the former ISAFP chief for his statements against Legarda.

In another development, KNP senatorial candidate Ernesto Herrera described Corpus as an "attack dog" of the administration "precisely chosen to savage the opposition because of his long history of betrayal and selling people down the drain."

Corpus, Herrera said, "is a moral scoundrel and a traitor, who is now Malacañang’s mercenary."

"Corpus, who was fired for his incompetent work as armed forces intelligence officer, did not even know that Loren and Saycon are next of kin and they often meet during family gatherings," Herrera said. "They are relatives and they talk about family matters and they do not talks on the sly."

He said Corpus has a long history of switching sides and ideological convictions "and betraying lives and institutions in the process."

"How many lives of young soldiers had he compromised when he turned to the side of the (communist) rebels? How many guns had he raided from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) armory to provide to the rebels? How many ambushes had he plotted against soldiers of the republic?" Herrera was referring to the time when Corpus joined the New People’s Army (NPA).

After deserting the NPA and returning to the government fold, Corpus’ main preoccupation, Herrera said, has been that of a "scoundrel and a mercenary."

Corpus was chief of the ISAFP when he and his informer, Ador Mawanay, "fabricated evidence, concocted tall tales and, basically, lied through their teeth," to implicate Legarda in wrongdoings.

Mawanay later recanted his testimony and cleared Legarda of allegations she bought smuggled cellular phones from him. — Jose Rodel Clapano, Marichu Villanueva and Christina Mendez7