MANILA, 22 July 2005 — A day after a retiring general dared his peers to quit for playing politics, the military leadership yesterday announced that four generals are under investigation for alleged involvement in election cheating last year.

The names of the officers, including two who had been promoted since then, were mentioned in wiretapped recordings of the conversations made between former Election Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and people believed to be interested in rigging the election.

One of these callers was President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who was caught talking with Garcillano about ways to ensure a million-vote victory margin over her nearest rival, opposition candidate Fernando Poe Jr.

Poe, an immensely popular actor, died late last year of a stroke that some had linked to his electoral defeat.

Copies of the taped conversation and transcripts that have been passed on to Filipinos around the world is now being used by Arroyo’s foes as basis for filing an impeachment case against her in the House of Representatives.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Efren Abu ordered the investigation two weeks ago and named the inspector-general, Vice Adm. Mateo Mayuga, as head of the panel of probers.

Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan, AFP vice chief of staff, said Mayuga has talked to the generals and was seeking a copy of the audio recordings from Congress, which is investigating the wiretaps. “We’re not setting this aside. We’re doing something,” said Adan in answer to insinuations that the military leadership had done nothing on the alleged involvement of some officers in election fraud.

According to Adan, Mayuga’s panel would include Commodore Emilio Marayag, Maj. Gen. Romeo Alamillo, and Col. Caridad Aguilar.

Game of the Generals

Among those mentioned in the tape were retired Lt. Gen. Roy Kyamko, the Southern Command chief during the election; Maj. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, former chief of Task Force HOPE (Honest, Orderly, and Peaceful Elections); Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani, former chief of Task Force Ranao; and Maj. Gen. Gabriel Habacon, former commander of Task Force Comet.

Esperon, current chief of the Special Operations Command (Socom), has denied involvement in election fraud.

Adan said Kyamko would still be investigated despite his retirement from the service.

All but one of the generals mentioned were presumed to have helped in the cheating in favor of Arroyo. Only General Gudani, who belongs to the Marines, was mentioned to be partial to the opposition.

Adan said the Mayuga panel, however, could only recommend actions to be taken against the generals to the Ombudsman.

Esperon has denied any involvement and welcomed the investigation. He said he was involved in the polls only as deputy commander of a military task force overseeing the deployment of troops to keep the elections orderly.

Disgruntled Officers

The accusations have incensed at least one top army official, Lt. Gen. Romeo Dominguez, who called for the resignation of officers who get too cozy with politicians.

Dominguez, a decorated US-trained officer who was to retire in October, recently resigned as commander for the northern Philippines to protest military irregularities.

He said military involvement in politics destroys professionalism, resulting in the promotion of generals based on their political connections. “This country is not a monarchy and yet we have royal blood among officers, which dictates who should succeed in key positions,” Dominguez told ABS-CBN television Wednesday evening.

Coup rumors have been swirling for weeks amid Arroyo’s worst crisis. The military has declared it would stay neutral and has kept a close watch for signs of restiveness in the 115,000-strong armed forces.

The Philippine military has a history of failed coup attempts and played key roles in peaceful “people power” revolts that ousted late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Estrada in 2001.

Two years ago, a group of disgruntled officers, complaining of corruption and favoritism, briefly seized an upscale hotel and mall in Manila’s financial district, demanding Arroyo’s resignation, but they surrendered shortly after. (Additional input from The Associated Press & Inquirer News Service)