Esperon: Military would not join inter-faith rally !

The Armed Forces chief of staff on Friday said the military will not join Friday’s inter-faith rally in Makati City even if the crowd grows to a million people.

Gen. Hermogenes Esperon said a million protesters calling for President Arroyo's ouster during Friday's rally will not matter as long as the protest is done peacefully.

“It doesn’t make a difference as long as things are done peacefully without violence. What important here is that everything is discussed civilly. Are they doing the right thing? Will that strengthen our democracy or the democratic processes? That’s important to us,” Esperon told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo.



“We will listen to our mandate, to people who will encourage [us] to stick to democratic processes and support democratic institutions. We are averse in supporting people who would destroy our democratic processes and institution. So regardless of numbers, what will matter is who supports democratic processes and institutions,” he added.

Esperon reiterated the military’s stand that it would not join any mass action that would bring down the government.

“The more that you call the military to intervene the more that you weaken democracy and i hope you still realize that democracy is what we regained in February ‘86. Let us not lose it, let us not weaken that what we gained,” he said.

Last February 25, during the commemoration of the 22nd anniversary of the EDSA People Power 1, top military and police officials staged a “Unity Walk” to show their solidarity in supporting the Arroyo administration.

The action dispelled reports that some military officials would defect and withdraw support for the President.

Esperon said there is no need to conduct a loyalty check because of the high morale of government troops.

“I do not expect them to be personally loyal to me but they are expected as they are doing to be performing their jobs and they are doing it very well,” he said, belittling a so-called manifesto from alleged junior officers in the military which called for Mrs. Arroyo's ouster.