Aquino still mum on next AFP chief

President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday remained tight-lipped on his choice for the next chief of the 120,000-strong Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), even as he expressed reservations on appointing a “junior" military general for the post. "With the forthcoming retirement of chief of staff Gen. [Ricardo] David, there will be necessary movements among all of the various units within the AFP. So if you select a very junior [officer and], assign him to the most senior position, what happens to the more seniors?" Aquino told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo. David, a member of the Philippine Military Academy class of 1977, is due to reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on March 8. He has recommended all the 11 three-star generals of the AFP, and two junior ones — AFP deputy chief of staff for operations Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista and 2nd Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Jessie Dellosa — as his replacement. Not a single two-star general was named AFP chief during the post-Marcos era. All AFP chiefs appointed during that period were three-star generals, mostly holding the position of Army chief or Southern Command chief. Among the former military chiefs who came from the other branch of service include Rodolfo Biazon (Marines/Navy), Arnulfo Acedera (Air Force) and Benjamin Defensor (Air Force). Aquino, the AFP’s commander-in-chief, said he would consider seniority in the selection of the next military chief. He also said he is still in the process of selecting David’s replacement. “We still have a few more days, perhaps a week or two, to finalize this," said Aquino, who was in Camp Aguinaldo to grace a Medical Civic Action Program that benefited hundreds of civilians, including military dependents. Among the other candidates for the top AFP post are AFP vice chief Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu (PMA 1978), AFP deputy chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban (PMA 1979), Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz (PMA 1979) Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena (PMA 1978), and Western Command chief Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban (PMA 1978) and Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer (PMA 1977). — KBK/RSJ, GMA News