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Saturday, January 26, 2008
Sulu officials favor extension of Esperon's term
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Provincial Government officials of Sulu have expressed support on the possible extension of General Hermogenes Esperon Jr.'s term as the chief-of-staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
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They passed a resolution on Friday requesting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to extend Esperon's term of service.
Esperon, a veteran Army commander in Mindanao, is set to retire on February 9 when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56, but published report stated that President Arroyo is likely to extend his term so he can continue his programs and reforms in the AFP.
Arroyo is in Switzerland since Tuesday for a series of meetings with the officials of the Aragon Financial Group (AFG) and the Swiss Chamber of Commerce.
She is expected to announce Esperon's fate when she returns to Manila from Switzerland.
"General Hermogenes Esperon has done a very a good job and he is one of the proponents of many AFP-related humanitarian program in Sulu. We are very supportive of General Esperon and will support his extension as chief-of-staff," said Sulu Governor Sakur Tan.
Tan said business and religious leaders and the mayors of Sulu's 19 towns are also supporting Esperon's possible term extension.
"We have a relatively good peace and order condition in Sulu because of AFP and other stakeholders of peace. The AFP is our partner in peace and progress and we are the government's partner in nation building," he said.
Esperon, for his part, said Friday that he would focus on the dismantling of all the New People's Army (NPA) front committees if and when the President will extend his term of service.
Governor Tan has previously hailed Esperon for the creation of the National Development Command (NDC), a new unit in the AFP that focus on the basic socio-economic development and infrastructure projects in conflict-affected areas.
Through the NDC, the AFP hopes to contribute in the convergence of efforts by the different line agencies of government in the repair and construction of schools, health centers, sources of potable water, roads and bridges and in the process of rebuilding lives that have been disrupted by terrorist activities and violence.
Esperon on Friday visited the troops in Sulu and Basilan provinces as part of his farewell trip in the southern Philippines, where he started his military career.
Esperon was immediately assigned in Sulu just after his graduation in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1974 at the height of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) uprising. (Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (January 26, 2008 issue)
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Mechanic plays with grenade, killed by blast