New Philippine military chief promises to keep military neutral in political crisis

The incoming Philippine Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Generoso Senga said on Sunday that he would keep the military neutral in the lingering political crisis.

He also promised to pursue an investigation into the alleged involvement of senior officers in election fraud last year.

Senga, who will take over as the military's 34th chief of staff on Monday said "the conduct of the military pertaining to the current political situation" will remain unchanged under his command, according to a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer on its website.

He was referring to incumbent Chief of Staff General Efren Abu 's call for soldiers to remain neutral and apolitical in the political crisis, triggered by a poll fraud scandal involving President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Senga also said the military will continue its investigation into the involvement of four military officers in alleged election fraud in last year's presidential polls.

A five-man board of the Armed Forces Inspector General in charge of investigating the officers' alleged involvement in a conspiracy to rig the 2004 vote in favor of Arroyo recently summoned the four officers who were mentioned in alleged wiretapped conversations between Arroyo and her alleged accomplice in vote cheating, former Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.

Senga, 55, will serve as chief of staff for 11 months before an age limit imposed on serving military chiefs obliges him to quit.

His predecessor Abu will assume the post of ambassador to Indonesia.

Source: Xinhua