Ermita: No shortcuts in replacing AFP chief Ibrado

There will be no shortcuts in replacing Armed Forces chief Gen. Victor Ibrado, Malacañang assured Thursday. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita made this clear amid persistent reports of "Oplan August Moon," where Ibrado would be ousted in December and replaced with a "pro-Arroyo" general. "Sa AFP merong procedure at yan [ay] ginagawa sa pamamagitan ng Board of Generals at yan [ang] gumagawa ng recommendation kay Pangulo through the Secretary of National Defense. Makasisiguro tayo yang procedure masusunod (In the AFP we follow a procedure where the Board of Generals will make a recommendation to the President through the Defense Secretary. We can be sure the procedure will be followed)," Ermita said in an interview on dzXL radio. However, Ermita also said it is possible for a senior AFP official to retire early, if he so wishes, in the same way it is likewise possible for the President to extend his term. "Ang bagay na pagpapalit ng opisyal depende sa tao. Voluntary sa isang tao kung gusto niya mag-retire nang maaga o tapusin ang term ... Kung nanaisin ng pangulo i-extend ang term pwede rin. Yan lahat ay pwede at depende sa pangangailangan natin (Replacing an official depends on the official concerned. It is voluntary for him to quit before his term ends. But it is also possible for the president to extend his term. All these are possible and depend on the circumstances at a given time)," he said. Persistent reports of "Oplan August Moon" indicate Ibrado will be replaced by Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit, a member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1978. Members of PMA Class 1978 are close to President Arroyo, who they adopted as an associate member. Ibrado is more senior than Bangit, being a member of PMA Class 1976. He assumed the top military post in May this year, following the early retirement of AFP chief Alexander Yano who was named Philippine ambassador to Brunei. Bangit speaks Ibrado, who is scheduled to retire in March next year when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56, had time and again belied such reports. Even the supposed beneficiary, Bangit, denied the existence of such plan. "These [no-el scenario, conspiracy among PMA '78 members] have been going around for months now, and despite remaining unproven, are cropping up again. For a military leader entrusted with the tall order of making insurgency insignificant by 2010, reacting to these rumors that I know in my heart are not true anyway should not be my preoccupation," Bangit said in a statement issued Wednesday. "I therefore speak now to the Filipino people, and I do so in all honesty. August Moon is not true and will never happen. I deeply understand the importance of having credible elections in 2010 for the sake of peace. That is why in my field visits recently, I have been telling the troops: The only participation that soldiers must have in the coming elections is the exercise of their right to suffrage," he added. No-El scenario belied Reports of Ibrado’s early replacement cropped up after National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales Jr. assumed his post as defense chief, replacing Gilberto Teodoro Jr. Teodoro is the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party's standard bearer in the 2010 polls, but is trailing other prospective presidential candidates on results of popularity surveys. Gonzales, for his part, had dismissed fears of a no election scenario. [See: New defense chief Gonzales allays 'No-El' fears] For his part, Ermita said the selection of Ibrado’s successor will be based on seniority, competence and experience in command. "We can be sure that when a senior official like Ibrado retires, the Board of Generals will recommend someone to replace him on the basis of seniority, competence and experience in command," he said in Filipino. - GMANews.TV