Military welcomes law giving fixed term for top officials

MANILA, Philippines — A new law that gives a fixed three-year term to the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other top military officials is seen to ensure that only the best are appointed to the posts, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday.

Lorenzana made the statement after President Duterte signed into law Republic Act (RA) 11709 on Monday.

RA 11709 grants a fixed three-year term to the AFP chief of staff, vice chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, commanding generals of the Army, Navy and Air Force, chiefs of unified commands and inspector general.

The president may extend the AFP chief’s tour of duty in times of war or other national emergency declared by Congress.

“This will also put an end to the revolving door system in the AFP leadership that resulted from the retirement law passed in 1979,” Lorenzana said.

He welcomed the law, saying the principal objective of the new rules is to allow general officers sufficient time to do their jobs.

“If they are not promoted to the next higher grade, they are retired,” he said, noting that RA 11709 limits the number of general officers to 0.01 percentage of the AFP’s total strength.

Lorenzana said the new law would reduce the number of general officers from the present 196 to 153, which is believed to be the optimal number of generals to efficiently and competently lead the AFP.

He thanked the members of Congress, especially Senators Richard Gordon and Panfilo Lacson as well as Rep. Boboy Tupaz, for advocating and espousing the law throughout the legislative process.

“We thank President Duterte for signing RA 11709 into law, which caps his vision and programs – higher pay, more troops, more brand new equipment and improved health services – for a better and professional AFP that he implemented during his term,” Lorenzana said.

AFP spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala said the military welcomes the approval of the law.

“The AFP is confident that the newly signed law will bring stability in the military organization as we continue to fulfil our mandate as protectors of the people and the state,” Zagala said.

He said RA 11709 would make the AFP a more efficient and effective organization.

Former AFP spokesman retired Lt. Gen. Edgard Arevalo agreed that given the intent as expressed in the law, the latter would be good for the country and for the AFP.

“By giving fixed tour of duty, officers occupying key positions, the state – through this law – allows him longer period to implement reforms and institutionalize sound policies that will redound to the improvement of the AFP,” Arevalo said.

Meanwhile, Lacson said RA 11709 capped his key legacies to the military and defense department.

Lacson, who chairs the Senate committee on national defense and security, pushed in September Senate Bill 2376, which when combined with House Bill 10521 forms the basis of what Duterte signed into law as RA 11709. –  Paolo Romero, Cecille Suerte Felipe