FREEDOM FORCE IS HARMLESS SAYS SOLON

Administration Rep. Prospero Nograles today said the Council of Philippine Affairs (COPA) and the so-called “Freedom Force” does not pose any serious threat to President Arroyo’s government and should not be treated as a national security concern.

            Nograles said COPA members and the “Freedom Force” proponents led by columnist and former press secretary Teodoro Benigno are “harmless individuals who could cause no damage to the government.”

            He lamented that the ruckus over the alleged plot of the “Freedom Force” to unseat the president has already sidelined more pressing national security concerns such as the wave of terrorist attacks in the Southern Philippines.

            “The people in COPA and those advocating the Freedom Force are harmless individuals who could cause no damage to the government. It seems to me that they only wanted to articulate some of their misgivings on the present administration but that’s just about it,” Nograles pointed out.

            He added that there is not even a need to investigate COPA members and the “Freedom Force” proponents because the stories that came out about their alleged plan to oust  President Arroyo is a simple case of misinterpretation of facts.

            And even if there is indeed a plan to use the so-called “Freedom Force” to undermine the Arroyo administration, Nograles is convinced that it would surely fail to draw support from other sectors that have been previously instrumental in toppling two Philippine presidents.

            He explained that  the so-called “social volcano” that is being mentioned by Benigno as a metaphor for a looming  civilian revolt  has been effectively pacified by President Arroyo because of sound social and economic policies that are now slowly creating positive impact on various sectors, particularly the poor.

            “President Arroyo’s effective governance has helped strengthen her government and at this stage, there’s no valid reason for another people’s revolt,” Nograles said.

            He said that the most serious national security threat that deserves complete government attention is the wave of terrorist attacks in the Southern Philippines.

“The wave of terrorist attacks in Mindanao is more frightening. These attacks should be given more attention and not the COPA or the Freedom Force, “Nograles said.

April 25, 2002