MANILA, March 8 (ANTARA/Reuters) - Philippine President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo on Monday appointed a loyal general as the next head of the country`s military forces amid concerns of anti-government electoral violence in May.

Arroyo, who is also commander-in-chief of the 120,000-member military forces under the constitution, named Lieutenant-General Delfin Bangit as armed forces` chief of staff, two days ahead of the retirement of current chief, General Victor Ibrado.

More than 50 million Filipinos will elect a president, a vice president, nearly 300 lawmakers in the two houses of Congress and more than 17,500 local positions on May 10.

There are concerns the ballot may fail to produce a clear and credible winner due to election violence, intimidation or possible problems with a new automated voting system that is being tried for the first time.

Arroyo`s appointment of Bangit, who had served as commander of the military`s elite presidential guard unit, immediately drew criticism from her political opponents and critics.

"There`s widespread fear even within the military that this administration will again use soldiers to frustrate the will of the people in the May elections," said Ramon Montano, a retired major-general, who has become one of Arroyo`s staunch critics.

Arroyo is no longer eligible for another term as president and is expected to step down on June 30.

"All eyes are on him (Bangit) and we expect him as a professional soldier not to allow the armed forces to be a tool to prop a very unpopular administration through unconstitutional and illegal means," senator Francis Pangilinan said in a statement. (*)

Editor: B Kunto Wibisono
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