AFP chief Bangit retiring early, starts farewell rounds

(Updated 12:20 p.m.) Amid the controversy surrounding his tenure as chief of the Philippine armed forces, General Delfin Bangit on Monday decided to go for an early retirement, and started his farewell rounds in the military. In a phone interview with GMANews.TV, AFP public information chief Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos said what triggered Bangit's decision was President-elect Benigo Aquino III's pronouncements that he would replace the incumbent military chief once he assumes the presidency. "It was among the factors that triggered General Bangit's decision," Burgos said. Asked whether Bangit was indeed retiring early, Burgos replied: "Yes, but there is no definite date yet for the retirement." Bangit's original retirement date falls on July 31, 2011 when he turns 56, the mandatory retirement age for military officers and enlisted men.
On Monday morning, Bangit joined the officers of the Philippine Army's 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Capinpin in Rizal province and bid them goodbye. "Leaders come and go, just as I have come and I will go. But a Filipino soldier stays... I may cease to be your chief-of-staff, but my love for the soldiers will stay. Thank you very much," a military statement quoted Bangit as saying. He likewise called on the soldiers to support the next chief of staff, and the next president, who is constitutionally mandated to act as the AFP commander-in-chief. "We have reached a very high level of professionalism. This, we can be very proud of. If I would ask you one thing before I go, it would be this: Please stay that way. Please stay professional no matter who your commanders are. Stay professional no matter who your chief of staff is, and no matter who your commander-in-chief is," he said. Bypassed Aquino had repeatedly said he does not want to retain Bangit, whose appointment was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments before Congress adjourned two weeks ago. Bangit had made it known earlier that he is willing to retire early. He also said he would decide before June 30, when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's term ends. Bangit is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) "Makatarungan" Class of 1978. President Arroyo is an honorary member of the Bangit's PMA class. Once Bangit leaves, he will be the first AFP chief of staff in recent history who will be replaced by a new president. Gen. Lisandro Abadia, who was appointed by the late President Corazon Aquino a year before the 1992 elections, was able to complete his term under President Fidel Ramos. Ramos, meanwhile, chose to extend the term of his last chief of staff, Gen. Clemente Mariano, to four months to ensure a smooth transition for his successor, Joseph Estrada. The late General Joselin Nazareno was Estrada's first chief of staff. In January 2001, however, Estrada's second military chief, General Angelo Reyes, withdrew support from him, leading to Estrada's ouster and the assumption to the presidency by then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. President Arroyo then retained Reyes as military chief until his retirement in March that year. Reyes would later serve as Cabinet secretary in various departments: defense, interior and local government, environment and natural resources and energy. — RSJ, GMANews.TV