MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Imee Marcos questioned the June 17 confirmation of five Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) senior officers despite being covered by a one-year ban.
Marcos wrote to Commission on Appointments Secretary Myra Marie Villarica to question the confirmation of the ad interim appointments of the officers during the June 17 special session.
She said Section 1 of Republic Act 11939 requires the officer to have at least a year of remaining active service before compulsory retirement age to be eligible for appointment or promotion.
The confirmed officials – Lt. Gen Edmundo Peralta, VADM Alan Javier, M. Gen Isagani Criste, B. Gen Niceforo Diaz Jr. and B. Gen Rosemawatte Remo - were all born in 1970 and are on their way to reaching the compulsory retirement age of 57 without complying with the one-year active service.
“I do not have a problem with these officials. I know some of them and I am proud that there are Ilokanos who reached the high position of AFP,” Marcos said in a statement.
“My question is, why do we always bend the law? If there is a law, we follow it. The rules should not change depending on who benefits,” she said.
“They are not within the one-year ban. It is not their fault that we have been chaotic here in the Senate and the confirmation was not taken up,” CA member Sen. Panfilo Lacson had said during their confirmation, which was delayed by the Senate leadership impasse.