Army chief anonymously accused of favoring godson, an aspiring officer

From Malaya (Aug 6): Army chief anonymously accused of favoring godson, an aspiring officer

AN anonymous letter accused Army chief Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes of micromanaging the Army’s Candidate School based in Tarlac and favoring a godson who is a student at the institution.

Coballes yesterday acknowledged getting a copy of the complaint which he said was spread by officers who are against the reforms he has instituted at the school in Camp O’Donnel in Capas, Tarlac.

A copy of the letter, which was acquired by the media as early as last week, said Coballes should retire from the service early because “he has lost the credibility to lead the Army.”

Coballes, a member of the Philippine Military Academy class of 1980, is reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 in February next year. He took over as head of the 85,000-strong Army last January.

“Can someone investigate the relationship of Lt. Gen. Coballes and dumbguard (plebe) Romualdes?,” the two-page letter said, referring to candidate officer Aaron Romualdes.

The letter said Coballes reportedly summoned an Army officer when Romualdes failed the physical fitness test which the officer supervised.

The letter said the officer was called on his athletic uniform and was asked to undergo a PFT himself. The test was supervised by Coballes’ staff who videotaped the exercise.

“The OCS has been damaged as an institution,” said the letter, adding Coballes would summon other officers based on complaints given by Romualdes to the Army chief.

It said Coballes’ actuation bypassed Maj. Gen. Benito de Leon, commander of the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command where the school is directly under.

It said four officers were relieved from their posts, apparently due to reports provided by Romualdes to Coballes.

The officers include Maj. Jonathan Obena, chief of the Army’s Procurement and Attrition Branch, which is in charge of lowering the number of the class members.

Obena was reportedly picked on by Coballes’ staff due to alleged harassment.

It said Coballes was “very furious” that “one of the kids who was (reported) mishaving (in the class) is godson” of the Army chief. It said Obena was re-assigned in Mindanao as a result.

In a press conference in Fort Bonifacio, Coballes said the officers who prepared the letter were probably against the “no-maltreatment” reforms he ordered instituted in the school.

“The people who made (the letter) probably do not want changes in the school. They probably believe that what the Philippine Army is wrong...We have implemented a no-maltreatment policy in our schools,” he said.

Coballes said they have to implement the no-maltreatment policy so that these candidate officers will not be violating human rights when they become regular officers.

Asked who Romualdes is, Coballes said he is a leader of the class. “I told them that if they have a problem, they can approach me. I am open to everybody.”

http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/news/nation/37761-army-chief-anonymously-accused-of-favoring-godson-an-aspiring-officer