Defense OIC resigns
Peace adviser Galvez replaces Faustino
Malacañang announced yesterday a change in the leadership of the Department of National Defense (DND) amid rumors of a destabilization plot, which officials have strongly denied.
DND officer-in-charge senior undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. resigned from his post and would be replaced by President Marcos’ peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., Presidential Communications Office OIC Cheloy Garafil said in a statement yesterday.
“It is with deep regret that the President has accepted the resignation of DND OIC Sr. Usec. Jose Faustino Jr.,” Garafil said.
“The President has offered the position of DND secretary to Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. and he has accepted,” she added.
Malacañang did not answer questions on whether Galvez would serve as a permanent secretary or as OIC, although Garafil’s statement described his post as “DND Secretary.”
The Palace released photos of Marcos’ meeting with Galvez yesterday, but did not
provide details of the topics they discussed. It also did not respond to media queries about the reasons behind Faustino’s resignation and who would succeed Galvez as peace adviser.
The Palace announcement came days after rumors swirled that there is rumbling in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) over military appointments.
A memorandum allegedly placing the Philippine National Police on full alert because of the supposed resignation of defense officials at Camp Aguinaldo also circulated last Saturday, the same day the AFP leadership was turned over to returning military chief Gen. Andres Centino.
The PNP has dismissed the memorandum as “misinformation” and is now determining the source of the document.
Last Friday, Centino took his oath as AFP chief, a post he turned over to Lt. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro five months ago. Some observers have described Centino’s return to the military leadership as unprecedented since he succeeded Bacarro, who was also his successor last August.
Galvez, the new defense chief, served as peace adviser and vaccine czar of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Last July, Marcos allowed Galvez to stay as peace adviser in a holdover capacity until the end of 2022 or until his successor has been named.
Long experience
As peace adviser, Galvez led the campaign for the plebiscite and eventual ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law and implemented the executive order that formed the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. He was AFP chief prior to his designation as peace adviser.
Galvez also served as chief of the Western Mindanao Command, which fought extremist groups who attacked Marawi City in 2017.
Pressed for more information on Faustino’s resignation, DND spokesman Director Arsenio Andolong, issued a short statement welcoming the appointment of Galvez.
“With Sec. Galvez’s years of experience as a military commander and as a civilian public servant, we are confident that he will be able to effectively lead the department as we fulfill our mandates to the nation,” he said.
“On behalf of the entire One Defense Team, we express our deepest gratitude to Senior Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. for his service and leadership. We wish him the best in his endeavors in the next chapter of his life,” Andolong’s statement read.
The AFP, for its part, has assured the public that everything is normal and that the military welcomes and respects the decisions of the Commander-in-Chief.
Faustino did not attend the change of command ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo on Saturday for Centino’s replacement of Bacarro.
Sources said Faustino, who only served as officer-in charge of the DND for five months, submitted his resignation to President Marcos on the very day of Centino’s appointment as AFP chief.
Plot rumors belittled
In an interview with reporters, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. belittled rumors of destabilization within the AFP.
“I do not think there is one because I talked to the chief-of-staff [Sunday] night and he gave the assurance that the PNP and the AFP will work hand-in-hand in ensuring that the Marcos administration will be very stable,” Azurin said.
Azurin yesterday said he directed the regional director of Cordillera to look into possible “security lapses” regarding the release of a supposed memorandum, which supposedly placed the PNP under full red alert status in response to reported resignations at the DND.
“We already directed the regional director of PRO Cordillera to look into the possible security lapses as far as the document security is concerned,” Azurin said.
“Definitely, appropriate charges as well as the consequences of the lapses, if any, will be meted to Col. Dexter Ominga,” he added, referring to the PRO Cordillera chief.
The PNP earlier said they are under heightened alert due to the Feast of the Black Nazarene and the Sinulog Festival.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and former senator Panfilo Lacson said the developments in the DND and the AFP should not be cause for worry.
“There are no serious reasons behind all of these developments,” Pimentel said. “No reason to cause low morale, as before AFP even had frequent changes in leadership, what we called the ‘revolving door’,” he said.
Lacson, who had chaired the Senate committee on national defense and security and was principal author of the law that sets fixed terms for military chiefs, said Centino’s replacement of Bacarro was not a surprise nor sudden move as many have thought.
He said he has information that Centino’s reappointment should have been done as early as November but it was put on hold.
“The AFP is generally composed of professional officers and men whose loyalty to the flag and the Constitution, represented by the duly constituted authority, is above and beyond their individual preferences,” he said.
Lacson also hailed Galvez’s appointment to the DND, saying he “can provide the leadership that the defense establishment needs, especially during the transition period of the implementation of the law on fixed term of generals holding key positions in the AFP.”
Threat to human rights
An opposition lawmaker, however, expressed concerns over reports of internal conflict within the AFP.
In a statement, House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said such squabbling is “worrisome” because just like in the past, it could result in rampant violation of human rights.
“The supposed reason of the squabbles is Republic Act No. 11709, a law enacted by former president Rodrigo Duterte in April last year that, among others, set a fixed term of three years for eight of the most senior AFP officers, including the chief of staff and the commanders of the Army, Air Force and Navy,” she noted.
“It seems that the law is creating tensions or divisions within the military, as some members may feel that they have been passed over for promotion or that the selection process was not fair,” she added.
The lawmaker said some military officers have been “strongly lobbying” for the law to be repealed or amended.
“That is the sad state of the AFP today that officers are wrangling among themselves to get to the top rank and get a bigger piece of the pie while their soldiers are committing human rights violations left and right,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of the Philippines said it has ordered its members, including New People’s Army guerrillas, to take advantage of the supposed unrest within the AFP to recruit new members and allies.
“Seizing the perfect moment,” the CPP called on soldiers and police personnel “to expose the corruption and crimes of their superior officers, help expose and denounce the antipeople, anti-national and fascist acts of the AFP and PNP, reject orders that are inimical to the interests of the people, renounce their ‘anti-terrorist’ fanaticism that has been used to justify their criminal acts.”