CA confirms ISAFP chief, 17 other senior AFP officials

From InterAksyon (Feb 19): CA confirms ISAFP chief, 17 other senior AFP officials

The powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) chaired by Senate President Franklin Drilon on Wednesday confirmed the interim appointment of General Eduardo M. Ano as chief of the Intelligence Services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines ((SAFP).

The confirmation of Ano’s appointment was endorsed by the subcommittee on national defense despite the continuing objections of Edita Burgos, mother of missing farmer activist Jonas Burgos and widow of world press freedom icon Jose Burgos Jr.

Ano is among the military officers the Burgos family believes had a role in the abduction and subsequent disappearance of Jonas, who was snatched from a Quezon City mall on April 28, 2007.

Reacting to the confirmation of the two generals, the human rights group Karapatan likened it to "the promotion and accolades given by the Macapagal-Arroyo administration to General Jovito Palparan."

Palparan, who is now retired and is wanted for the disappearance of University of the Philippines students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan, was a favorite of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who made special mention of him in one of her state of the nation addresses despite accusations of gross human rights violations that earned him the nickname "The Butcher."

Karapatan secretary general Tinay Palabay said the confirmation of Ano and Baladad proved the Aquino administration "a shameless coddler of military and police generals with atrocious records of rights violations."

Meanwhile, the CA also confirmed the interim appointment of General Aurelio Baladad, who was responsible for the arrest of “Morong 43” last February 2013.

Both Ano and Baladlad were promoted from brigadier general to major general.

The CA also confirmed the following AFP officers:

1. Bayani Gaerlan, Commodore
2. Edmund R. Pangilinan, Brigadier General
3. Roger Salvador, Brigadier General
4. Gregorio Pio Catapang, Lieutenant General,
5. Jose Renan Suarez, Rear Admiral
6. Jet Velarmino, Major General
7. Virgilio Hernandez, Major General
8.  Gerardo F. Barrientos, Major General
9.  Vic Castro, Brigadier General,
10. Raul Ubando, Commodore,
11. Manuel Gonzales, Brigidier General
12. Alex Capina,Brigadier General
13. Hilario Frigillana, Colonel
14. Patrick de Leon, Colonel
15. Caesar Taccad, Rear Admiral
16. Ricardo Jalad, Brigadier General

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/81072/ca-confirms-isafp-chief-17-other-senior-afp-officials