New law sees end of ‘revolving-door policy’ in the AFP

Senator Richard Gordon has lauded the signing into law of a bill prescribing a fixed term for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff to a maximum of three years, saying this would bring stability to the Philippine military.

"We welcome the signing of Senate Bill No. 2376 (into law), because it eliminates the 'revolving door' policy in the appointment of key AFP officials, which was done not through merit but through patronage politics or 'palakasan,'" Gordon said in a statement in light of President Duterte's signing of Republic Act (RA) No. 11709. "Umaasa kami sa pamamagitan ng bagong batas na ito ay mas mapapalawig ang mga pagpipilian ng Pangulo sa pinakakwalipikado, at hindi sa mga paretiro lamang (I hope that through this law, the President of the country can expand his choices for the most qualified AFP chief, instead of limiting it to those who are just about to retire)."

Gordon, one of the primary authors and principal sponsor of the bill, has repeatedly stressed the need for continuity and stability in the AFP leadership for the sake of the country's defense and security.

This new law will cap the key legacies of Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, also a principal sponsor and co-author of the bill, to the military and defense establishment.

Lacson, chairman of the Senate national defense and security committee, pushed last September Senate Bill 2376, with which House Bill 10521 forms the basis of what President Duterte has signed into law.

"Finally, we will see an end to the revolving-door policy in the AFP. The leaders of our AFP will have the opportunity to implement their legacy programs instead of staying in office too briefly," said Lacson, who served in the Philippine Constabulary until 1991 after graduating from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1971. He later became the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief during the Estrada administration.

"The revolving-door policy has always been a disservice to the mandates of the military leadership entrusted with the security and defense of the country," he said.

Under RA 11709, the AFP chief of staff, vice chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, heads of the major services (Army, Navy and Air Force), unified command commanders, and inspector general will have a three-year term of office, "unless sooner terminated by the President." The President may extend the AFP chief of staff's tour of duty in times of war or other national emergencies declared by Congress.

Also, the law gives the PMA superintendent a tour of duty of four years, "unless sooner terminated by higher authority."

Meanwhile, the law provides for the compulsory retirement of military personnel at 56 or 30 years' satisfactory active duty, whichever is later, for those with the rank of second lieutenant/ensign (O-1) to colonel/captain (O-6).

For those with the rank of brigadier general/commodore (O-7) to lieutenant general/vice admiral (O-9), the retirement age will be 59 or the maximum tenure-in-grade, whichever comes earlier.

Officers or enlisted personnel may avail of optional retirement upon accumulation of at least 20 years' satisfactory active duty.

The law also provides that officers and enlisted personnel must be retired one rank higher from the last rank held, provided that retirement benefits are based on the permanent grade last held, though this will not apply to those still in active duty prior to the effectivity of the law; and provided that the said retirees will form part of the Reserve Force.

With Republic Act 11709 officially a law, only the best officers in the AFP can assume the highest posts in the military, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Tuesday, May 17.

"The principal objective of this law is to allow general officers sufficient time, i.e., three years timein-grade, to do their jobs. If they are not promoted to the next higher grade, they are retired. This ensures that only the best officers ascend the ladder of leadership. We would like to thank the members of Congress, especially Sen. Dick Gordon, Sen. Ping Lacson, and Cong. Boboy Tupaz for advocating and espousing this law throughout the legislative process," he said in a statement. "Lastly, we thank President Duterte for signing it into law, which caps his vision and programs-higher pay, more troops, more brand new equipment, and improved health services-for a better and professional AFP that he implemented during his term," Lorenzana said. (with a report from PNA)