Yano retires on May 1, accepts Brunei posting

MANILA, Philippines – It’s official. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Alexander Yano is relinquishing command of the 125,000-strong military on May 1.

AFP Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna is also retiring with Yano.

Taking over Yano’s post is his “mistah” at the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1976, Army chief Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado, while Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit, Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) chief, will replace Ibrado, reportedly on May 4.

The Department of National Defense has not announced the replacements for Luna and Bangit.

In a statement released yesterday afternoon, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said Yano and Luna are retiring early following their designation as ambassadors to Brunei and The Netherlands.

“Gen. Yano opted to retire one month earlier in view of his nomination to the post of Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam. Likewise, Gen Cardozo Luna opted to retire early in view of his nomination to the post of ambassador to The Netherlands,” Teodoro said.

According to Teodoro, the President approved Yano and Luna’s early retirement following consultation with various Cabinet secretaries and key officials of the Commission on Appointments (CA).

The posting of Yano to Brunei was deemed important due to the key role of Brunei in the Mindanao peace process, being the lead country in the International Monitoring Team (IMT), Teodoro said.

Luna, who holds a Masters degree in Economic Planning from the University of Pennsylvania and is a Defense Diplomacy Fellow in Cransfield University in the United Kingdom, will serve as the focal person for the country’s defense engagements not only in The Netherlands but also with other countries in Europe.

AFP Public Information Office (PIO) chief Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, confirmed Yano’s early retirement but declined to give the specific date.

“What I know is that there are words that this is to give way for certain processes for his next appointment,” he said.

But sources said Yano has accepted the ambassadorial posting offered to him by Malacañang.

Yano’s early retirement triggered tals that he has fallen out of grace of President Arroyo, but Torres immediately denied this.

He also dismissed claims that President Arroyo was displeased over Yano’s performance, specifically in addressing the security problems in Central Mindanao and the rise of kidnapping cases in Western Mindanao.