Senate panel to approve bill seeking fixed term for AFP chief

Following the lead of the House of Representatives, the Senate committee on national defense and security on Thursday pushed for the passage of a bill that would give a fixed three-year term for the head of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). "We have resolved that there will be a fixed term of tenure for the chief of staff... the fixed term will be three years," committee chairman Sen. Panfilo Lacson told reporters after Thursday's hearing on the bills seeking a fixed term for the top AFP post. The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading its version of the bill — House Bill 6 — last February. HB 6 also gives the President the power to defer the compulsory retirement period of a military chief if it falls within his three-year term, as long as he has the "confidence" of the commander-in-chief. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV's Senate Bill 20 and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago's Senate Bill 2285 seek the same. Lacson said they will also propose a fixed term of two years for the major service commanders. No revolving door policy Lacson explained that the measure will help get rid of the so-called revolving door policy in the AFP where an official — particularly the most senior one — is appointed chief of staff despite nearing retirement age. President Benigno Aquino III’s predecessor, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, appointed 11 AFP chiefs, most of them having served for less than a year, during her nine-year rule. "Because of the enactment of this bill into a law, then probably we will help better professionalize the AFP," said Lacson, a former policeman, adding that the bill will help AFP chiefs to focus on their plans and programs for the military. Also included in the consolidated bill that Lacson's panel will approve is a provision saying major service commanders would not be disqualified from being appointed as AFP chief of staff even if they have served for more than one year. "They will only be disqualified if they reached the mandatory (retirement) age of 56 before they finish their fixed term of office for two years," Lacson said. Support The representatives from the Department of National Defense, Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, and Philippine Air Force present during Thursday's hearing did not oppose the proposed measure. "If the version that will come out from the legislation will be effective as soon as possible, then we support that. [The bill will] promote stability [in the AFP]," Defense undersecretary Lorenzo Batino said during the hearing. Vice Admiral Alexander Pama of the Philippine Navy said the fixed terms of office will help the AFP chief of staff do his job properly. "A one-year term is very short to be able to implement plants and programs. [This bill is a] step in the right direction in professionalizing the AFP," he said. Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association chairman retired Brig. Gen. Remy Tigulo, however, expressed reservation on the provision that states that the AFP chief of staff may be removed from office once the President loses confidence in him. Trillanes, a former Navy officer, said that this provision is needed in case the chief of staff is found to be conspiring with enemies of the state. - KBK, GMA News