House ratifies bill giving fixed terms to top AFP officials

By ANDREO CALONZO, GMA News

Published October 11, 2011 11:30am

The House of Representatives ratified the consolidated House and Senate versions of the bill seeking to give fixed terms of office to top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). A majority of House members on Monday night voted to approve the consolidated version of House Bill 6 and Senate Bill 2869 earlier reconciled by a bicameral conference committee. The measure prescribes a fixed three-year term to the AFP chief of staff and a fixed two-year term for commanders of the militaryâ€™s major service branches:

the Philippine Army,

the Philippine Navy, and

the Philippine Air Force. The bill was identified last year by President Benigno Aquino III as one of his administrationâ€™s priority legislations during the first Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC). Under the proposed legislation, the AFP chief can remain in active service even beyond the mandatory retirement age of 56 to allow him to finish his full three-year term. The bill also mandates the President to appoint only military officers with two or more years remaining in active service to the top posts of the AFPâ€™s major service branches. The measure retains the power of the President as the militaryâ€™s commander-in-chief to remove the AFP chief and major service commanders at any time. The bill will also have to be ratified by the Senate before it can be signed into law by the President. - VVP, GMA News

Tags: congress, armedforcesofthephilippines