Ghosts of BertGon’s past

OUTGOING Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Malacañang officials yesterday defended the appointment of national security adviser Norberto Gonzales to the defense portfolio.

Turnover rites will be held today in Camp Aguinaldo. Malacañang announced his appointment Saturday.

Teodoro, standard bearer of the administration party in the May 2010 elections, resigned to focus on his presidential bid. On Friday, he announced Optical Media Board chairman and TV personality Edu Manzano as his running mate.

Gonzales served as acting defense secretary in a concurrent capacity before turning over to Teodoro the top DND post in August 2007. He is being linked by militant groups to human rights-related cases.

Teodoro said he expects Gonzales to make a good as defense chief.

"It’s the President’s choice. He has experience at the department already at I’m sure he should do best," Teodoro said.

On concerns raised by Gonzales’ critics about the possible rise in human rights violations, Teodoro said: "We have human rights programs, and enforcement. I think that will not change."

Asked to rate his stint as defense secretary for the past two years, Teodoro said: "I tried my best."

Gary Olivar, deputy presidential spokesman, said Gonzales has the "appropriate background" on security matters because of his current position.

He noted Gonzales’ designation as officer-in-charge of the defense department in 2007 before Teodoro was appointed to head it.

He said the military is looking forward to working with Gonzales again.

He brushed aside observations of conflict of interest following Gonzales’ involvement in the controversial hiring of consultancy contract with Baltimore-based Venable LLP to push for Philippine interests in Washington.

He also defended Gonzales against allegations of involvement in human rights-related cases.

He said Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor, head of Task Force 211, said there is no case involving Gonzales among the 253 cases of extra-judicial killings being investigated by the justice department.

Among militant groups that have expressed concerns over Gonzales’ appointment were Gabriela and Bayan Muna.

Gabriela party list Rep. Liza Maza said Gonzales’ appointment might pave the way for military involvement in cheating in next year’s presidential elections.

"He is more militarist than the military, a hawk who was one of those who engineered the formation of the Inter Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG) and other militarist measures against activists," she said.

Bayan Muna said Gonzales’ appointment might lead to the military’s involvement in extra-judicial killings. The military had denied involvement in the killings.

"Gonzales is linked with the policy, under Oplan Bantay Laya, of lumping legal mass organizations with the CPP-NPA, and making its leaders and members targets for extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. As DND head, Gonzales is given more leeway to continue this murderous policy," Bayan Muna said.

The group said as IALAG head, Gonzales coordinated the preparation and filing of rebellion charges against the "Batasan 6" in 2006 "that the Supreme Court found spurious and ordered dismissed."

It said President Arroyo has scraped the bottom of her reserves with Gonzales’ appointment.

Bayan Muna also said Gonzales and Fr. Romeo Intengan, in their capacity as officers of the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipnas, "tried to subject AFP units to the politico-ideological orientation of his party."

The group said Gonzales and Intengan backed off after their attempts were exposed by Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, a former AFP chief, and his son, Miuntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon.

"Will Gonzales try to do that now that he is the DND secretary," Bayan Muna asked. – With Regina Bengco