Military chief junks resignation call

MANILA -- Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Delfin Bangit chided calls for him to quit post following the bypassing of the Commission on Appointments (CA) in his promotion.

In a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo, Bangit stressed that he is not going to resign as told by President-apparent Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino's spokesman, Edwin Lacierda.

Bangit lambasted Lacierda who said last Saturday that the AFP chief should resign following the announcement of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile that he and 301 other officers were bypassed by the CA.

Lacierda said Bangit's interim appointment lapsed after he was not confirmed by the CA, adding President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo could not reappoint him because of the constitutional ban on presidential appointments.

"There have been announcement by Lacierda for me to resign despite my acknowledgement that I serve under the pleasure of the commander-in-chief. He does not know what he's talking about," Bangit stressed.

Bangit said he initially thought of leaving his post over the weekend following Lacierda's pronouncement but said he made up his mind for the sake of the officers and men he vowed to lead.

Bangit assumed the top military post last March, replacing then general Victor Ibrado who reached the military mandatory age of 56 on March 10. Also in the same date, two months before the election day, Arroyo was banned from doing appointments.

Bangit disclosed he wanted to retire early because his hotly contested appointment is dragging the military into politics. But he said he changed his mind from bowing out of the service and decided to keep fighting for the institution that he has been serving for over 30 years.

"This is no longer just about General Bangit. This has been about the Armed Forces of the Philippines. This has been about our politicians who do not understand what the Armed Forces is all about," he said.

Bangit also reiterated: "Again, I am asking the public, not only the incoming administration, to treat your Armed Forces well, treat us with honor and give us the dignity that we deserve."

He said the military should not be treated as a "political instrument" and should be spared from politicking.

He also noted that he has no intention of holding to his position if the new administration does not want it anyway. "But as long as I am here, I will be the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines."

The AFP chief held a press conference together with all other officers who were bypassed by the CA, allaying fears and moral problems that may arise from the incident.

In the event he is not retained by the next administration, he said: "I am prepared to usher in and to hand over to the incoming commander-in-chief a very good armed forces."

He added that the next administration has nothing to fear from him, saying he is not anybody's soldier, apparently addressing perceptions that he is a loyalist of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Bangit has sent Aquino a letter, congratulating the latter for his victory in the May 10 presidential elections.

"I have already written a letter to the incoming president, expressing my congratulations and acknowledging his victory after understanding that the people has spoken and realizing the results of the election," he said.

Meanwhile, Bangit has directed the bypassed officers to continue wearing their rank until they are confirmed by the new Congress in July.

"We have received instruction from our commander-in-chief to go on, to just continue our mission because we are fighting everyday, we are defending this nation everyday," he noted.

In MalacaƱang, all 302 high-ranking military officials who were bypassed by the CA were told to stay in their respective positions.

The move was in accordance to the recommendation of the Department of National Defense to "preclude a hiatus in the service and to avoid prejudice to public service," said Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza.

"Failure to act decisively on the matter could lead to serious demoralization in the Armed Forces of the Philippine Officer Corps, and undermine the integrity of the military's command structure," Mendoza warned.

Aside from Bangit, 301 others who hold the ranks of generals, lieutenant generals, major generals, rear admirals, brigadier generals, commodores, colonels, and captains were affected by the bypass.

Mendoza said the military should be insulated from partisan politics, thus appointments to sensitive military positions should be left to the discretion and sound judgment of the command hierarchy.

Promotions in the military are determined by the various boards that screen applicants for their seniority, merit, and performance.

Officers with the rank of full colonel up, however, are subject to the confirmation of the CA. (VR/JMR/Sunnex)

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