BY VICTOR REYES and WENDELL VIGILIA
THE Armed Forces yesterday said many soldiers were “surprised” by the sudden change in the military leadership recently, but it gave the assurance this would not lead to any plot to destabilize government.
The sudden change covered not only the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) but also the Department of National Defense. The latest change in the national security sector was last Friday when Malacañang announced a new national security adviser.
The changes in the AFP and DND have given rise to rumors of a destabilization plot, coupled with supposed dissatisfaction with a new law, Republic Act 11709 that took effect only in July last year. The law sets fixed terms for certain senior military officials, which is seen to stall promotions of lower-ranked officials.
The Senate has set a hearing for January 17 on proposals to amend the new law.
At the House, Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT) said the reported unrest in the military ranks over the sudden changes appears to be an offshoot of the exit of former executive secretary Victor Rodriguez from the Marcos administration.
“The supposed game of the generals happening now at the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines and even the National Security Agency seems to be instigated by a widespread ongoing purge of appointees linked to former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez,” said the Makabayan bloc lawmaker.
AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said soldiers are focused on accomplishing their mandate which is to protect the people and the state.
“Many may have been surprised over the change in leadership (in the AFP) but this is something personal to them. What is important is the professionalism of our soldiers, that we have a mission to accomplish,” he said.
Aguilar stressed there is no destabilization plot coming from the military.
“There is not a single name that came out as involved in the (supposed) destabilization plot,” he said.
“We don’t know how this started because there is really no problem inside the Armed Forces of the Philippines. We stay, we are united, we stand behind the Constitution, the flag, the commander-in-chief, and now with the secretary of national defense and then the chief of staff,” said Aguilar.
Malacañang announced the appointment of Gen. Andres Centino as AFP chief on January 6 , replacing Lt. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro who President Marcos installed as military chief in August last year.
Bacarro succeeded Centino who first became Armed Forces chief in November 2021 during the time of President Duterte.
Bacarro, a recipient of the highest military decoration Medal of Valor, was supposed to serve for three consecutive years, unless sooner terminated by the President, under RA 11709.
Retired military chief Jose Faustino Jr resigned as DND officer-in-charge after Bacarro was replaced, He said he learned of Centino’s appointment only through news and social media.
President Marcos accepted his resignation and named former AFP chief and peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr as defense secretary.
Talks of destabilization plot spread after Bacarro’s replacement. There were even reports that the PNP went on heightened alert because of that. The PNP has said it declared heightened alert to ensure peace and order during the Feast of Black Nazarene in Manila and Sinulog Festival in Cebu.
Defense and military officials also dismissed the alleged plot, saying the morale of troops remains high. They also dismissed the conduct of a loyalty check in the Armed Forces.
Malacañang on Saturday announced that former interior secretary Eduardo Año was replacing Clarita Carlos as national security adviser.
PURGE
Castro warned the Palace on “political maneuverings” involving the armed forces, saying “such activities highlight the patronage system in the military.”
“The current dominant faction in Malacañang apparently succeeded in booting out individuals identified with Rodriguez from key positions in the DND, AFP and NSA but in the process placed Duterte generals whose loyalties and policies may still lie with the former president and his family and not with President Marcos Jr.,” she said.
The militant lawmaker said the appointment of former interior secretary Eduardo Año, a retired army general, as national security adviser “is an extension of this purge and a way to assuage the squabbling in the military ranks who want more rightist militarists in key defense positions and who are now airing their gripes against the newly implemented Republic Act No. 11709.”
The Senate is “hell bent” on amending RA 11709, according to Senate President Miguel Zubiri.
The January 17 hearing on proposed amendments to RA 11709 was set by the committee on national defense chaired by Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.
Estrada said that proposed amendments were filed last month before the supposed rumblings in the Armed Forces spread.
“I would like to disabuse the mind of the public that this is being taken up to quell any destabilization plot or address supposed discord within the military. Having been certified as urgent by the President, the Senate is duty-bound to take up the measure for immediate consideration,” Estrada said.
Estrada, on December 6, filed Senate Bill No. 1601 which seeks to amend RA 11709. Zubiri filed a similar proposed measure the following day.
While the said measures have already been vetted by AFP officials and enlisted personnel, Estrada said they still have to hear or consult various stakeholders to ensure the need to amend the law that took effect only on July last year.
“I was not a member of the Senate when this was passed. We will invite the ranking officials to the committee hearing and hear their positions or stand on the issue,” he added.
FIXED TERMS
Zubiri said the original version of the measure only calls for the fixed three-year term for the AFP chief of staff so as to prevent the “revolving door policy” but amendments to it were introduced during the bicameral conference committee.
Former senator Panfilo Lacson, a principal sponsor and co-author of the measure, said he sees no wisdom or logic in amending a law which has not yet been put to test.
He also said the final version “is generally the same as the original legislative proposal submitted by the AFP and DND with some amendments.”
RA 1170, prescribes that the AFP chief of staff, vice chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, heads of the major services (Army, Navy and Air Force), unified command commanders, and inspector general will have a three-year term of office “unless sooner terminated by the President.” The President may extend the AFP chief of staff’s tour of duty in times of war or other national emergency declared by Congress.
The law also gives the Philippine Military Academy superintendent a tour of duty of four years, “unless sooner terminated by higher authority.”
It provides for the compulsory retirement of military personnel at 56 or 30 years’ satisfactory active duty, whichever is later – for those in the grades of second lieutenant/ensign (O-1) to colonel/captain (O-6).
For those in the grades of brigadier general/Commodore (O-7) to lieutenant general/vice admiral (O-9), the retirement age will be 59 or the maximum tenure-in-grade, whichever comes earlier.
Officers or enlisted personnel may avail of optional retirement upon accumulation of at least 20 years’ satisfactory active duty.
The law also provides that officers and enlisted personnel shall be retired one rank higher from the last rank held, provided that retirement benefits shall be based on the permanent grade last held, though this will not apply to those still in active duty prior to the effectivity of the law; and provided that the said retirees will form part of the Reserve Force.
DND, NSA
Galvez said the DND is looking forward to working with Año who took his oath of office before Marcos on Saturday.
During the Marawi siege in 2017 when Año was the AFP chief, Galvez was the commander of the AFP Western Mindanao Command. The two supervised the five-month long military operation to end the crisis.
Año retired from the service in October 2017 after a 10-month tour of duty and later became the interior secretary.
Galvez became AFP chief in April 2018, retired after eight months, and was later named presidential adviser for peace, reconciliation and unity during the Duterte administration.
“Secretary Año will undoubtedly render his decisive, informed, and pragmatic guidance to address our country’s various security concerns,” said Galvez
“The former Armed Forces Chief of Staff and Secretary of the DILG has also been a stalwart advocate of our whole-of-nation approach on national security, especially in addressing the armed conflict brought by insurgency and terrorism,” added Galvez of Año.
Galvez thanked Carlos “for her service in the executive branch and wish her the best in her new role at the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department of the House of Representatives.” — With Raymond Africa
