Retired generals tapped for DND

From Malaya Business Insight (Jul 28): Retired generals tapped for DND

FOUR retired military generals, including former Armed Forces chief Gen. Ricardo David, yesterday took their oaths as undersecretaries in the Department of National Defense.

David, who served as AFP chief from July 2010 to March 2011, took over as the undersecretary for defense policy – replacing lawyer Pio Lorenzo Batino from the administration of President Aquino.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also administered the oath of the three other retired generals - Maj. Gen. Eduardo del Rosario and Brigadier Generals Raymundo Elifante and Ricardo Jalad.

Del Rosario is the undersecretary for civil, veterans and retiree affairs – replacing former Navy chief Vice Adm. Jesus Millan.

Elefante is the undersecretary for finance, munitions, installations and materiel, taking the place of retired Maj. Gen.  Fernando Manalo.

Jalad is the administrator of the Office of Civil Defense – an agency under the DND. He replaced former Navy chief Vice Adm. Alexander Pama.

As the OCD administration, Jalad is also the executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council which is chaired by the defense secretary.

There are two other undersecretary posts in the department – undersecretary for national defense and undersecretary for defense operations. The two posts were held by retired colonel Honorio Azcueta and retired Maj. Gen. Natalaio Ecarma respectively.

Sources said former AFP vice chief Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna had been recommended to be undersecretary for national defense while former defense and armed forces attaché to Washington Brig. Gen. Cesar Yano was nominated as undersecretary for defense operations.

One of the sources said the papers of Luna and Yano are awaiting approval of President Duterte.

Another source said the two are actually reporting to their office since July 1.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/retired-generals-tapped-dnd