MANILA, Jan 8 (Philippines Each day Inquirer/ANN): Common Andres Centino, the reappointed chief of workers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), known as on the army to cease the division and “squabbling” within the ranks as he assumed the very best submit within the AFP for the second time on Saturday.
He changed his army academy classmate Lt. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro, who took over because the nation’s prime army commander when he was unceremoniously booted out and left in a “floating” standing by President Marcos 5 months earlier.
Neither the President nor Division of Protection officer in cost Gen. Jose Faustino Jr. attended the unconventional change of command ceremony.
The nontraditional ceremony was held indoors, contained in the Tejeros Corridor of the AFP Commissioned Officers Membership Home, as an alternative of the AFP Grandstand. It was over in lower than an hour.
Journalists weren’t allowed to cowl the occasion, which was attended by Govt Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who presided over the ceremony, and Particular Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo Jr.
This system was live-streamed on authorities channels on-line.
Fastened three-year time period
In his speech, Centino stated there needs to be “professionalism and meritocracy” within the AFP and defended the aims of Republic Act No. 11709, a legislation enacted by former President Rodrigo Duterte in April final 12 months that, amongst others, set a set time period of three years for eight of probably the most senior AFP officers, together with the chief of workers and the commanders of the Army, Air Power and Navy.
“And as we try to place this legislation into impact, we as a company can’t afford to stay or to be divided, and squabbling on how its interpretation stands to profit one over the opposite, and lose deal with what’s finest for the Armed Forces as an entire,” Centino stated.
“Due to this fact, to implement this legislation, the [AFP] wants sturdy and decided leaders able to steering the group within the route of stabilizing unity, and ushering in a very trendy {and professional} Armed Forces,” he added.
The 143,000-strong army ought to deal with complying with probably the most pressing duties at hand, he stated.
“We should be sure that all our assets are employed to definitively deal with all the present and rising threats,” Centino stated.Commenting on Centino’s reappointment, former Philippine Nationwide Police chief and ex-Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson stated on Twitter that the chief of workers “makes historical past by getting appointed to the highest AFP submit by the identical Commander in Chief who eliminated him.”
Day of rumours
“Each unprecedented and a welcome growth, justice is finished to a very deserving officer by a President who’s prepared to rectify an error when it’s the proper factor to do,” he added
However rumours of protest resignations by a variety of army and protection officers in opposition to Bacarro’s elimination and Centino’s return to his submit had been circulating previous to the President’s choice.
This was fuelled by leaked memoranda from a minimum of two regional PNP places of work inserting all police models, together with the Particular Motion Power (SAF), underneath the very best state of alert on Saturday “because of destablization actions from the AFP.”
SAF battalions have been ordered to “make sure the operational readiness of our personnel and gear, significantly in coping with the stated scenario when want arises, and be prepared to maneuver upon the orders of correct authorities,” the memos stated.
Photographs and movies of PNP armored personnel carriers (APC) on standby at Camp Crame on Saturday have been shared by some police personnel with journalists.AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar denied the alleged destablization plot and that the AFP was assuring the general public that “all the things is regular.”
“The actions of PNP property are a part of the simulation workouts in preparation for the Feast of the Black Nazarene,” he stated in an announcement on Saturday night time. “Relaxation assured that the AFP, in coordination with different authorities safety forces, will all the time be on guard to guard you from all risk teams.”At Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Police Col. Jean Fajardo stated the police obtained no reviews of a destabilization plot.
She stated the PNP was simply on “heightened” alert as a part of the safety preparations for the annual Black Nazarene festivities beginning Friday in Manila, which attracts greater than one million devotees.
The “traslacion,” or procession of the picture of the Black Nazarene, was once more canceled this 12 months by church authorities because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fajardo, nevertheless, confirmed the presence of APCs on the nationwide police headquarters, however stated these have been additionally for the festivities and was a part of the “common observe” of the PNP to maneuver the armored automobiles a couple of times every week to make sure their readiness for deployment.
In keeping with Fajardo, they have been “checking” the sources of the memos and messages supposedly coming from PNP models.
“We may even remind our commanders to watch out in coping with these sorts of knowledge, as these may very well be susceptible to misinterpretation by the general public,” she stated with out confirming or denying that the memos have been genuine.
A primary since Edsa
When Marcos appointed Bacarro as AFP chief in August, Centino was sidelined and placed on floating standing, awaiting his retirement when he reaches the necessary age of 56 on Feb. 4. Each Centino and Bacarro belong to Class 1988 of the Philippine Army Academy.
That was the primary time for the reason that 1986 Edsa Folks Energy Revolution that an incumbent AFP chief was changed earlier than his retirement.
Earlier than his reappointment, Centino was named because the nation’s subsequent ambassador to India in November, awaiting affirmation by the Fee on Appointments.
Bacarro, a Medal of Valor awardee, who ought to have retired in September final 12 months, might have been the primary AFP chief of workers to serve a set three-year time period underneath RA 11709.
It’s nonetheless unclear whether or not Centino would serve the total three years of a chief of workers.
With Centino’s reappointment, Bacarro was compelled to retire. However he could also be appointed to a authorities submit.
“So far as Lt. Gen. Bacarro is anxious, I don’t suppose that that is going to be the tip of his public life,” Bersamin stated through the change of command ceremony.
“We’re going to give true worth to your achievements. And we are going to all the time keep in mind your service and sacrifices for the nation,” he stated. – Philippines Each day Inquirer/ANN
