Five Colonels, committed to reforming the Armed Forces of the Philippines, were willing to tell about their movement if and only if their names were kept secret, along with the time, date and place of their interview (Veritas, May 11).

My initial reaction was a mixture of scandal and contempt toward the five colonels’ lack of courage. But then, it occurred to me that the corrupt elements must be so well entrenched in the Armed Forces of the Philippines that anyone who wants to work for reforms must do so prudently and in secret.

If the power of the grafters, salvagers, scalawags, and other assorted miscreants is great enough to turn fieldgrade officers into such timorous, pussy-footing namby-pambies, my feelings of outrage are transformed into great fears for the future.

GIL GONZALES de AVILA