Ex-AFP chief David is new Immigration chief

(Updated 2:59 p.m.) President Benigno Aquino III has appointed former Armed Forces chief Ricardo David as the head of the Bureau of Immigration, an attached agency of the Department of Justice (DOJ). At a press briefing in Malacañang Wednesday, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said David will assume the post on Monday, March 14. "Mr. David’s integrity and professionalism will be instrumental in the efforts of the immigration authorities to cleanse its ranks and purge its services of the past abuses of authority," Lacierda said. "The President is pleased that Mr. David is taking on these new challenges in the civilian sphere," he added. David served as Armed Forces chief at a time when the military organization was rocked by allegations of corruption. His term ended March 8, 2011 when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 56. He took over the helm of the AFP on July 2, 2010. A member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1977, David also served as member of the Presidential Security Group during the administration of Aquino's mother, the late President Corazon Aquino. The BI, at present, is under officer-in-charge Rolando Ledesma. With David's appointment, Ledesma will return to his former post as chief of the Board of Special Inquiry, Lacierda said. PHL-Taiwan row Lacierda said David's appointment is not meant to appease the Taiwanese government regarding the deportation of 14 Taiwanese nationals to China early this year. He said David was already being considered for the position even before the apparent rift between the Philippines and Taiwan hit the headlines. "Even before the Taiwan incident, the President, in his discussions with us and this is something we have not publicly disclosed, already mentioned that he wanted Gen. David to remain in government service and he had in mind the position of the immigration commissioner to be given to Gen. David," Lacierda said. "So it was never in response to or in a way of appeasing the Taiwanese officials or the Taiwan government of what happened during the deportation incident," he added. Lacierda said Aquino just waited for David's retirement before he made the offer. Aquino is expected to sign David's appointment papers over the weekend when he returns to Manila after his state visits to Indonesia and Singapore. Expectations Asked on Aquino's expectation of David as BI commissioner, Lacierda said the President wants the former AFP chief to "continue his management ability in the immigration authority, to firm up and to be an agency cleanse of its corrupt officials." "When he was chief of staff of the AFP, he brought a new image. There were concerns on corruption, on the involvement of the military in extrajudicial killings, those things have been resolved by the general and in fact he was the one who urged the military officials to testify before the Senate and the House hearings," he said. Lacierda said part of David's task is to look into the corruption in the BI and concerns on human trafficking. "Isa sa concern ay human trafficking, with some immigration officials allegedly involved...Well dun sa mandate ng BI na tignan at manigurado na ang mga aliens dito po ay pawang documented," Lacierda said. (One of the concerns is human trafficking, with some immigration officials allegedly involved. Also, to ensure that all aliens here are well documented.) Recycled generals? The practice of appointing retired generals to government position is not new in Philippine politics. During the Arroyo administration, a number of generals, both from the police and military, had become members of the Cabinet. During the previous administration, former AFP vice chief of staff Eduardo Ermita served as executive secretary, while the late Angelo Reyes and Hermogenes Esperon Jr., both former AFP chiefs, handled several government positions. Retired military chiefs Alexander Yano, Roy Cimatu, and Generoso Senga, meanwhile, were given diplomatic posts, while Dionisio Santiago was named chief of the Bureau of Corrections before being assigned to lead Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency after retirement. Former AFP chief Diomedio Villanueva, who is embroiled in the alleged corruption in the military along with Cimatu, was named as Postmaster General by Mrs. Arroyo in the last administration. From the police ranks, former Philippine National Police director generals Leandro Mendoza and Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. were appointed transportation secretary and public works secretary, respectively. Former PNP chiefs Avelino Razon, and Arturo Lomibao also held key government positions. – VVP/KBK/RSJ, GMA News