General fails to hurdle CA; 28 confirmed

The Commission on Appointments (CA) deferred yesterday the confirmation of a military general responsible for a survey among troops that aimed to gauge sentiments on the victory of rebel junior officer Antonio Trillanes IV in the last senatorial elections.

Twenty-eight other military officers were confirmed though, including Presidential Security Group chief Romeo Prestoza as brigadier general and Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, a reserve colonel of the Philippine Army.

Sen. Jamby Madrigal blocked the confirmation of Brig. Gen. Nestor Sadiarin after he failed to explain why he conducted the survey and who ordered him to do so.

Sadiarin told the CA he did the survey on his own but could not state any reason.  

“He used the funds and resources of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to conduct a political survey, which did not help improve the service. It’s like profiling that is not part of the AFP’s duty,” Madrigal said.

“It politicizes the military. He said he did it on his own and I would never believe that. He has to come up with an explanation or I will continue to block his confirmation,” the senator said.

Senate President Manuel Villar Jr., chairman of the CA, said the question on the survey was the only one raised regarding the appointment of Sadiarin.

“I think he was surprised with the question and got confused. But I am sure he can defend himself in the next hearing. It’s not a very big issue,” Villar said.

Sen. Richard Gordon also vouched for Sadiarin’s good record as he had known the general since he was a young officer.

Earlier reports quoted Sadiarin as saying he wanted to know how the soldiers voted. The questions on the survey centered on whether or not a vote for Trillanes was a protest against the government and the military leadership.

Sadiarin, head of the AFP Civil Relations Service, said he had to find the answers on his own and not rely on speculations.

Other military officials said the real intent of the survey was to find out the sentiments of the soldiers to identify what efforts the AFP leadership should exert to educate them.

For instance, the military wanted to know if there were soldiers who did not agree that Trillanes should sit in the Senate.

Trillanes is facing mutiny charges in both civilian and military courts in connection with the 2003 Oakwood mutiny. He is the second rebel officer to win a Senate seat, after Gregorio Honasan, leader of several coup attempts against the Aquino administration.

Others confirmed were: Pedrito Cadungog, lieutenant general; Ruben Rafael, Bernard de Luna, Raul Caballes, major generals; Ricardo Morales, Roberto Regala, Oscar Rabena, Henry Galarpe, Allan Ragpala, Reynaldo Sealana, Evans Opina, Edgardo Gidaya, Gregorio Fajardo, Nemesio Dabal, Gilberto Abanto Jr., Jaime Largo, brigadier generals; and Alberto Araojo, commodore.

Among the colonels confirmed were: Robert Nuyda, Rolando Jungco, Rizaldy Salimbangon, Oscar Raymundo Alvina, Onesimo Banaga, Michael Beverlyn Manquiquis, Nelson Chidrome, Peter Ng and Samuel Padilla.