Probe on promotion of military execs sought (2:25 p.m.)

MANILA -- A resolution to conduct an inquiry into the sufficiency of regulations on the promotion of military officers is set to be filed in Congress after outgoing National Capital Region Command (NCRCom) chief Rear Admiral Feliciano Angue was supposedly demoted to a lower rank.

Representative Rodolfo Biazon (lone district, Muntinlupa City) told reporters that he will file a House resolution directing the appropriate committee to look into the sufficiency of laws on the selection officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for promotion or assignment to major positions.

“The inquiry will determine if the criteria is sufficient or we need additional legislation so that we do not have this repeating situations on questions of promotions and assignments to major positions because they can only produce instability in the Armed Forces of the Philippines such as what we are witnessing today,” Biazon said in a press briefing.

Biazon, former AFP Chief of Staff, explained that the AFP Personnel Act prescribes the creation of the Board of Generals and the Board of Promotions to tackle promotions and assignments in the flag rank and in the lower ranks.

Last week, President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III approved the new positions for more than 20 senior military officers as recommended by the AFP Board of Generals through Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin including what was perceived to be a demotion of Angue.

Angue, who recently exposed that some senior military officials took sides during the conduct of the May elections, was designated as commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (Westmincom) Command.

The military official said that his new assignment, based in Zamboanga City, is only for a two-star position while his NCRCom post is a three-star position, making him eligible for promotion to vice admiral.

Angue was a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class which recognized former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as an honorary member.

Several factors like seniority, field assignments, education and training, and service reputation, among others are the main consideration for the promotion of military officers, Biazon explained.

Biazon also questioned if the list produced by the AFP Board of Generals was directly sent to Aquino as the law requires.

“Ito bang nangyaring mga promotions and assignments, ito ba ay produkto ng Board of Generals and if so, yung produkto ng Board of Generals na nakaabot sa president?” he added. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)

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