Officers want longer tenure for AFP chief

From Malaya Business Insight (Dec 1): Officers want longer tenure for AFP chief

A GROUP of junior officers wants President Duterte to do away with the “revolving door” policy in the designation of the AFP chief.

The officers said the successor of AFP chief Gen, Ricardo Visaya should have at least three remaining years in service so that he would have time to pursue long-term programs and reforms in the 125,000-strong military force.

“Change has come and since change has indeed come, now is the right time the way the President chooses the chief of staff. No more revolving door policy,” the group said in a manifesto, referring to Duterte’s battle cry.

Visaya had only five months in the service left when he was appointed by Duterte as AFP chief on July 1. Visaya, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983, is due to reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on December 8 but will relinquish his post a day earlier.

Malacañang has not announced who Duterte’s second AFP chief will be.

Rumored to be among the top contenders are three-star generals -- Army chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año, Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, and AFP vice chief Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda. All three are retiring late next year.

Año and Miranda belong to PMA Class 83 and Guerrero, Class 84.

Two-star generals are also among rumored contenders. They would be under Class 85 and up.

The officers said   an AFP chief will need at least three years in the office so he can pursue long-term goals. He said AFP chiefs serving for several months aspire only for short-term programs.

They  said there is need to have an AFP chief who will serve for a few years because of the peace process, referring to the ongoing peace talks with the communist-led National Democratic Front.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/officers-want-longer-tenure-afp-chief