Ex-Isafp chief new Army head

From The Standard (Jul 13): Ex-Isafp chief new Army head

Major General Eduardo Año, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, will assume his new position as chief of the Philippine Army this afternoon.

Año had earlier been linked to the abduction eight years ago of activist Jonas Burgos, who has remained missing up to this time.

Año was chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) when Burgos was allegedly kidnapped by soldiers in 2007.

Año is also reportedly a protege of Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.

Gazmin is believed to have engineered the appointment of new Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Hernando Irriberi, who was chosen over President Benigno Aquino III’s personal choice for the top military post, Southern Luzon Command chief Lieutenant General Ricardo Visaya.

Irriberi was Gazmin’s former senior military adviser and spokesman.

Irriberi, Visaya and Año were classmates in the Philippine Military Academy’s “Matikas” Class of 1983.

Gazmin, himself a former Army chief, was the Presidential Security Group commander during the term of the late President Corazon Aquino, the President’s mother.

After his assumption to the post of AFP chief last Friday, Irriberi admitted his closeness to Gazmin.

“I am proud to be identified with him because I learned a lot from him. But my record speaks for itself,” Irriberi told reporters.

Irriberi has criminal and administrative cases pending against him before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with three allegedly anomalous ammunition supply contracts worth P97.8 million filed by a military supply firm.

If the Ombudsman finds probable cause against him, Irriberi could suffer the same fate as dismissed national police chief Director General Alan Purisima, who was first preventively suspended before being removed from the service.

Earlier, Aquino vowed to appoint younger generals in the AFP and Philippine National Police who will serve beyond his term.

In the case of Irriberi, Aquino has to extend his term for two months until June 30, 2016 because of the election ban on appointments during the election campaign period.

Irriberi is scheduled to retire in April 2016.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/07/13/ex-isafp-chief-new-army-head/