Col. and Mrs. Adelberto F. Yap’s clarification (Malaya, Mar. 27) of the news stories about them obscures rather than enlightens the public on what’s going on.

1. They say it was not Mrs. Yap but Mrs. Cita Dinglasan, Theadoro L. Locsin’s secretary, who typed the colonel’s promotion letter. They didn’t explain why it was typed by a secretary of the Ministry of Public Information. Why not the Office of the president or the Defense Ministry? Nor do the Yaps reveal who drafted the letter or asked Mrs. Dinglasan to type it.

2. They say Mrs. Yap couldn’t have handcarried it to Malacanang since Mrs. Aquino was not holding office there. This is sophistry. The issue is not where the promotion was signed but whether Mrs. Yap "promoted" her husband’s new rank and position.

3. They say that the promotion was not revoked. They ignore the fact that the Colonel’s new rank was declared temporary.

Ordinary people like myself don’t care that much about whether Mr. Yap is a colonel or a lieutenant colonel or even whether Mrs. Yap lobbied for his promotion (she is not the first and will not be the last wife to so such a thing). The controversy involves the issue of fairness and the Yaps should be the first to recognize this.

First, consider the manufactured story about the colonels’ crippling the Marcos Air Force (never mind who concocted it). To what extent did the fairy tale enter into President Aquinos’ decision to promote Colonel Yap and name him as her military aide? If it was a major factor, Colonel Yap has no right to his new rank and position and the Yaps should be the first to admit it.

Second, even if the Yap promotion is well-deserved, the timing was wrong. None of the officers (except Gen., Fidel Ramos) who participated in the removal of President Marcos have so far received any promotions. Why should Colonel Yap get special treatment? His case should have been held for consideration along with the cases of all other officers whose ranks come up next for review.

ROMAN BERNAS