MANILA, 30 August 2003 — Philippine Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes resigned yesterday, the second government casualty of a military mutiny last month. He said he hoped his action would give the president a free hand to deal with alleged coup plotters.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s spokesman, Ignacio Bunye, said she accepted the resignation “with deep regret,” had assumed the defense portfolio temporarily and is considering Reyes for another “responsible position in her government.”
The resignation was the latest blow to Arroyo, who on Thursday accused “disgruntled and disenfranchised politicians” of trying to destabilize her government. She claimed she has the backing of the security forces despite the July 27 mutiny.
But financial markets have suffered amid persistent reports of coup plots and allegations by an opposition senator that Arroyo’s husband, Mike, is corrupt. The peso, which had been rebounding the last two days after hitting record closing lows, slipped again on the news of Reyes’ resignation.
Flanked at a news conference by the chief of staff, top generals and defense undersecretaries, Reyes said he had become the target of vicious personal attacks that were painful but tolerable. He said he was stepping down because of efforts to undercut the Philippines’ 17-year-old democracy and besmirch and divide the armed forces.
“There exists a well-organized and well-funded effort by certain forces to bring down our democracy through massive disinformation and political agitation,” Reyes said. “Unless a drastic remedy is quickly found, these elements, I am convinced, are going to be the nation’s undoing.
“Part of this effort includes an insidious and deliberate attempt to break apart the Armed Forces of the Philippines itself,” he said, his voice breaking at the end of his statement.
Military intelligence chief Brig. Gen. Victor Corpuz quit days after the July 27 mutiny that the government has called part of a larger plot to overthrow the government. The mutineers had demanded that Arroyo and other leaders step down.
The rogue soldiers accused Reyes of corruption and masterminding a deadly bombing in the southern Philippines early this year to get US anti-terrorism funding.
He strongly denied the allegations, but the charges haunted him.
“Today I wish to announce that, notwithstanding the baselessness of the charges hurled against me, I have decided to resign my position as secretary of national defense,” Reyes said.
