Duterte to appoint outgoing AFP chief to OPAPP
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will appoint outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Carlito Galvez Jr. to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Malacañang said Wednesday.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the chief executive announced his intention to appoint Galvez to OPAPP during the 32nd Cabinet Meeting Tuesday night.
But it remains unclear whether or not Galvez will be the president’s new top peace official—a post vacated by Jesus Dureza last week. The sacking of OPAPP undersecretaries due to corruption allegations prompted Dureza to resign as the office head.
Galvez is set to retire from the military force on December 12.
The outgoing AFP chief earlier expressed interest to serve as a consultant at the OPAPP.
Galvez was the chief of the Western Mindanao Command, the area command that covers Marawi City—the scene of intense five-month fighting between government forces and Islamic State-inspired Maute last year.
He was also an Army Scout Ranger officer and a veteran of operations against the Abu Sayyaf.
‘Militarization of OPAPP’
Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria Sison earlier said there will be problems if Duterte designates a former military man to head OPAPP.
“We surmise that Duterte would like the military, like the outgoing [Armed Forces of the Philippines] chief of staff Carlito Galvez, to take over OPAPP and militarize it,” Sison, also the chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, said.
Former National Democratic Front peace consultant Satur Ocampo said appointing a former military officer to OPAPP “would not be good” for the possible resumption of peace negotiations.
Duterte earlier admitted his preference to appoint military men in his Cabinet, saying they get the job done.
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