Promotions of 50 AFP officers breeze through CA

The promotions of 50 generals and flag officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines swiftly passed the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday.

The bicameral body confirmed the appointments of the senior AFP officers after the CA committee on national defense endorsed the following to the plenary:

• Euguene M. Mata to the rank of Brigadier General
• Ronaldo G. Valdez to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Jose Fabian Sperri G. Gotico to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Ronald C. Mateo to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Randy S. Banaag to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Rafman S. Altre to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Charlieben B. Delamide to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Shahjahan Carl D. Delos Santos to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Romulus B. Rabara to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Harold V. Sucayre to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Edgardo V. Talaroc Jr. to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Emmanuel G. Cabahug to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Roberto B. Obaob to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Jo-Ar A. Herrera to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Joey B. Baybayan to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Noel B. Escalona to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Aldrin E. Montalvo to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Bennie B. Demitillo to rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Jeric T. Hechanova to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Vincent C. Castaneda to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Rosie Rey M. Musil to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Julius P. Reyes to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Fidel I. Macatangay to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Navy-Marines
• Jasper M. Adrales to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Jorge T. Garcia to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Navy-Marines
• Junnifer O. Cantal to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Jonathan P. Hallara to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Alvin M. Sevilla to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Cecilia B. Frias to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Michael Vincent R. Mallari to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Lilian Victoria DC. Busto to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Aldrich Raymund A. Fernandez to the rank of Colonel, Medical Corps
• Emmanuel O. Salmasan to the rank of Colonel, Medical Administrative Corps
• Edgar O. Gonzales to the rank of Colonel, Dental Service
• Melchor Domingo P. Albarracin to the rank of Colonel, Dental Service
• Marlon B. Dayao to the rank of Colonel, Judge Advocate General Service
• Elchor P. Caralian to the rank of Colonel, Medical Corps (Reserve)
• Melvin N. Flores to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Gerard T. Alvaran to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Alexander D. Banatao to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Imelda L. Nadala to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Ronie I. Morimoto to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• John Manuel A. Cortez to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Navy-Marines
• Oliver P. Obongen to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Rotessa M. Baylon to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Navy-Marines
• Michael Ian I. Gavilan to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Ronald Rey R. Labastida to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Leo Amor A. Vidal to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
• Jay S. Baquiran to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Sadiri R. Tabutol to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force

During the CA committee hearing, Mata, the most senior official among the AFP officers, was asked if there is a need to amend the country’s Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States especially now that there are external threats from countries like China.

“It should be amended for the best interest of the country,” Mata said as he admitted that the Philippines cannot defend itself from external threat particularly from China due to the “very weak capability of the AFP.”

Under Article II of the MDT, the Philippines and the US agreed that “separately and jointly by self-help and mutual aid will maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack.”

Earlier, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said  the decades-old defense agreement should evolve amid the developing security situation in the region.

He added that the Philippines should be responsive to the changes happening in the region, especially when it comes to the security sector.

“Well, that’s pretty much what we’re going to talk about now. The reason it has to evolve is because the conditions are changing. The conditions that — under which the Mutual Defense Treaty was written, the original one, are completely different from the conditions that we have — we’re facing now,” Marcos said.

“China, of course, has become a very dominant in the region. The United States has become less so. And so — but then the other player, i.e. like ASEAN Member States, all the Asian states have also changed their position in the world,” he added.

In February, United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III visited the Philippines and he mentioned that the US has reaffirmed its commitment to the MDT.

Under the said pact, Manila and Washington agreed that an armed attack in the Pacific Area on either the Philippines or the US would be dangerous and that they would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.—AOL, GMA Integrated News