AFP top brass movement seen

MANILA, Philippines - The coming retirement of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Oban and Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz is expected to trigger a major revamp in the military.

Ortiz retires in November while Oban’s service ends in December.

Philippine Air Force (PAF) chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena and Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer are also expected to retire next year and they are not likely to get promoted in the coming months.

Under the AFP attrition law, a three-star general is deemed separated from service if he fails to get promoted to the next rank within three years.

But under the law, only one four-star general is allowed thus leaving Rabena and Ferrer no choice but to exit from the service.

“The law requires that military officers holding the ranks of major and lieutenant general must be promoted within three years or else they will face attrition,” a military source said.

Rabena a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1978 and Ferrer of PMA Class of 1977, will reach their three-year term as three-star generals in January next year.

If none of them gets Oban’s post, which some military insiders claimed as highly remote, they would be attrited.

Rabena’s classmate, former Army chief Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu, and former AFP chief retired Gen. Delfin Bangit were forced to vacate their posts upon President Aquino’s assumption in June last year.

Mapagu is currently the vice chief of staff of the Armed Forces.

Military insiders said newly installed Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) chief Major Gen. Jessie Dellosa and AFP deputy chief of staff Lt. Gen. Anthony Alcantara are the top contenders for Oban’s post as AFP chief, leaving slim chances for Rabena and Ferrer.

Dellosa and Alcantara are both members of PMA Class 1979.

Most of the 130 senior military officers whose promotions to the next rank were confirmed recently by the Commission on Appointments (CA) are also expected to get key staff and field assignments commensurate to their respective ranks.