Palace tosses Southcom row to AFP

Malacañang yesterday told the Armed Forces of the Philippines to explain the appointment of AFP deputy chief of staff Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan as Southern Command (Southcom) chief instead of Maj. Gen. Samuel Bagasin, a controversial choice that caught both generals by surprise.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye placed the burden of explaining the appointment on the shoulders of AFP chief Lt. Gen. Generoso Senga, even as Bunye recognized that the appointment of the Southcom commanding general was President Arroyo’s prerogative after she was briefed by the Board of Generals.

"We are not familiar with the circumstances of the appointment," Bunye said. "I think it’s better if we just ask for the AFP recommendations, because they are the ones who make the recommendations on assignments."

Bagasin was set to take over the post of Lt. Gen. Alberto Braganza, who is up for retirement. Instead of a turnover of command, however, Bagasin found that the President had selected Adan as Southcom chief instead.

Adan’s assumption of command of the Southcom stirred a controversy, and the President’s decision surprised many.

Even Braganza seemed all set to hand his command over to Bagasin as Bagasin expressed displeasure over the apparent change in the orders saying he was to take command of the Southcom.

The Southcom is the largest of the AFP’s five unified commands. It is responsible for combating secessionist rebels in Mindanao, as well as neutralizing kidnap-for-ransom and bandit groups there such as the Abu Sayyaf.

The Southcom top post is also seen as a stepping stone to the helm of the AFP, especially since most AFP chiefs first commanded the Southcom.

AFP public information chief Lt. Col. Buenaventura Pascual admitted Thursday that the Board of Generals had indeed recommended Bagasin to head the Southcom.

However, Senga said the military never said or implied that Bagasin would become the next Southcom chief: "I do not know who gave you that impression. There are other candidates for the Southcom. General Adan is now the OIC (officer-in-charge), meaning to say there will be a final determination yet of who will be the Southern Command chief."

Senga said Adan’s tenure will depend on Malacañang. Both Adan and Senga are members of the Board of Generals.

"It’s the prerogative of the President, the Commander-in-Chief," Senga said. "Being a member of the Board of Generals, we recommended (Bagasin), but we also recommended General Adan and the rest of our senior commanders."

When contacted for his statement, Adan said "I cannot talk about that. It’s the President who decides."

"I did not expect it," he added. "I am not expecting my designation, an order to take over this command. But, as a soldier who served in Mindanao for 12 years, I welcome it. It was a pleasant surprise. It is fitting."

Under the circumstances, Adan’s designation as commander of the Southcom was the best decision ever made by the President, a senior military official said on condition of anonymity.

In offering this explanation, the officer said that while Adan’s appointment may be seen as unpopular and may cause grumbling within the AFP officers corps, it effectively defused growing tension between two contenders who were eyeing the top military post in the south.

Eighty percent of the AFP’s 115,000-strong force is based in Mindanao. It is for this reason that Adan is the best pick, the source said, adding that Adan enjoys the trust and confidence of Malacañang and is a senior officer.

"It may not be the wisest decision. But to preserve stability under the present condition, win-win solution ito," the source said.

He said that if Bagasin, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division, was appointed by the President, his arch-rival, Maj. Gen. Gabriel Habacon, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division, would be left out. Under this circumstance, Habacon could do a lot of damage to the AFP and the national government, the source said.

"Then the ‘Hello, Garci’ controversy will heat up again," he said. Habacon was among the top AFP officials mentioned in the controversial "Hello, Garci" audiotape, allegedly containing bugged conversations between President Arroyo and a man believed to be former Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Virgilio Garciallano.

To break the impasse between Bagasin and Habacon, the source claimed that Malacañang decided to install Adan, who is their senior officer.

But other Camp Aguinaldo insiders said Adan’s appointment is in fact part of Malacañang’s payback to a congressman from Mindanao for his staunch and unwavering anti-impeachment stand during the case deliberations by Congress last week.

That same congressman is now being blamed for hampering the smooth transition of command in the Philippine National Police (PNP) caused by the resignation of a Deputy Director General Ricardo De Leon.

The congressman, sources claimed, is again lobbying in Malacañang for the appointment of his protégé as chief of the PNP directorial staff.

Disgruntled senior military officers, all graduates of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), aired their own complaints: "This thing never happened in the AFP before. It’s only now. Grabe na ang bastusan, gapangan (The obnoxiousness, the influence-peddling is getting worse). Where is the professionalism, where is the decency we’ve been taught to uphold in the academy?"

Camp Aguinaldo sources explained that Adan’s appointment was only temporary, though some insiders say Adan will keep his assignment until his retirement in January next year.

Before moving to Southcom, Adan was the AFP deputy vice chief of staff. His post will be taken over, in temporary capacity, by AFP vice chief of staff, Vice Adm. Ariston de los Reyes, until his replacement has been selected.

Military insiders said Bagasin already had the top Southcom post in the bag, until Habacon made a last-ditch effort to be appointed as Southcom chief.

Habacon has denied lobbying for the post of Southcom chief and Bagasin reportedly told friends that he may take an early retirement since his appointment to the Southcom was nixed.

"I don’t know anything about that. That is the prerogative of the Commander-in-Chief," Habacon said in a separate phone interview.

Prior to announcing Adan’s posting as Southcom chief, Pascual said Bagasin, Habacon and several other senior officials, including Army 6th Infantry Division Chief Major General Agustin Dema-ala, were on the short-list of Braganza’s successors that was sent to the President by the Board of Generals.

But sources said that, until the eve of Braganza’s retirement, the board recommended only Bagasin and the military was just waiting for Mrs. Arroyo’s approval of his appointment.

Another senior officer mentioned in the "Hello, Garci" recordings, Maj. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, assumed his port as Army commander in August.

Besides Habacon and Esperon, also mentioned in the tapes were former Southcom chief retired Lt. Gen. Roy Kyamko and Philippine Military Academy (PMA) deputy superintendent Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani.

All four officers denied involvement in vote-rigging during last year’s elections in separate statements made before the AFP Inspector General, which was tasked to investigate allegations that military personnel were involved in election fraud. — With Jaime Laude