Armed Forces chief Gen. Victor Ibrado yesterday said that making soldiers as security escorts of politicians and candidates in the May election next year should be given last priority in the proposed draft to be formulated by the Department of National Defense and the Commission on Elections.

Ibrado said escorting politicians and candidates in the May election is the job of policemen, and not of military personnel.

He added, "What we are asking is that they should leave us out of it".

In 2006, then Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz and former Comelec chairman Benjamen Abalos inked a memorandum that limits the role of military personnel during election. However, the new agreement which will provide the military a much wider role in the May 2010 elections, among others, directing military personnel to escort politicians in campaigning at election hotspots area, is expected to override the old memorandum of the DND and Comelec, which had been implemented in 2007 elections.

Acting Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales earlier said the new agreement will redefine the AFP's role during elections.

Once the agreement is signed, the 125, 000-strong AFP will be under the full disposal of the Comelec.

Ibrado said the AFP is still focusing on its internal security campaign, which has a deadline until June next year to make the New People's Army an irrelevant force as ordered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit who shared the sentiments of Ibrado, said they should allow the Army to concentrate on its job of addressing threats of different lawless groups, who may try to disrupt the conduct of peaceful and orderly elections in May next year.

“I wish not, bodyguard duty will be for the police and the security… private security agencies,” Bangit said.

Under the proposed draft, politicians or candidates may be given two soldiers as security escorts, while campaigning in the election hotspot areas.

Instead of shying away from their responsibility, our armed forces will meet the challenge head on. We will show that the AFP is the true protector of our democracy and our people's will,” Gonzales said.*GPB

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