46 AFP officers get CA nod for promotion

The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday confirmed the ad interim appointments of 46 generals and flag officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

This, after the CA committee on national defense endorsed to the plenary the approval of the following officers' promotions:

1. Joselito T. Lopena to the rank of Brigadier General
2. Brendo J. Casaclangto the rank of Commodore
3.Thad Rufino P. Candelarioto the rank of Brigadier General
4. Roger G. Mercado to the rank fo Colonel, Philippine Army (reserve)
5. Salvador G. Lavapie Jr. to the rank of Commodore
6. Elmer A. Nicolasto the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force (reserve)
7. Richard N. Gonzaga to the rank of Commodore
8. Rogelio V. Padre Sr. to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army (reserve)
9. Elba S. Cruz to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army (reserve)
10. Leodevic B. Guinid to the rank of Major General
11. Edmundo G. Peralta to the rank of Major General
12. Emilio R. Pajarillo, Jr. to the rank of Brigadier General
13. Gleen Albert C. Laguardia to the rank of Brigadier General
14. Van Kristoffer S. Sumbeling to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
15. Rosa Ma. Cristina R. Manuel to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
16. Roy P. Abad to the rank of Colonel, Dental Service
17. Jose Ricky A. Laniog to the rank of Brigadier General
18. Rafael Jason T. Talipan to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
19. Roy Philip T. Soriano to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
20. Alvin M. Hate to the rank of Brigadier General
21. Eleodoro S. Dalaguit Jr. to the rank of Colonel, Dental Service
22. Ramon P. Zagala to the rank of Major General
23. Loreto B. Pasamonte to the rank of Brigadier General
24. Angel L. Delos Santos to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
25. Daniel D. Tansip to the rank of Brigadier General
26. Allan D. Hambala to the rank of Major General
27. Antonio John B. Divinagracia to the rank of Brigadier General
28. Ronaldo V. Juan to the rank of Brigadier General
29. Nathaniel A. Balintong to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
30. William F. Recuenco to the rank of Colonel, Medical Corps
31. Roderick R. Salayo to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
32. Febie N. Lamerez to the rank of Brigadier General
33. Edgard P. Pacis to the rank of Colonel, Dental Service
34. Roger R. Ramos to the rank of Colonel, Dental Service
35. Arsenio D. Sadural to the rank of Brigadier General
36. Ramon Antonio E. Bello to the rank of Brigadier General
37. Mario D. Jacinto to the rank of Brigadier General
38. Darwin R. Farnacio to the rank of Colonel, Medical Corps
39. Ariel Nicomedes D. Torres to the rank of Captain, Philippine Navy
40. Jesus Nelson B. Morales to the rank of Major General
41. Raul S. Sasuca to the rank of Colonel, Medical Corps
42. Ervin C. Divinagracia to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
43. Jerry Y. Garrido Jr. to the rank of Commodore
44. Jose Vladimir R. Cagara to the rank of Brigadier General
45. Marissa G. Narag to the rank of Colonel, Medical Corps
46. Cynthia U. Liao to the rank of Colonel, Medical Corps

Brigadier General Ranulfo Sevilla's promotion was supposed to be tackled by the CA, but this was deferred to the next hearing as Senator Risa Hontiveros wanted to raise questions with the AFP officer but she was not able to attend the hearing due to a prior commitment.

Sevilla's new appointment was also opposed by Mrs. Tessa Luz Aura Sevilla.

According to the CA Secretariat, the AFP officer whose appointment is in question has already submitted his response to the opposition. He already submitted documents to the CA panel, particularly the petition for the declaration of nullity of marriage, petition to cite defendant in contempt of court in Ranulfo A. Sevilla versus Tessa Luz Aura Reyes Sevilla, as well as a psychological evaluation report.

Meanwhile, Major General Edmundo Peralta, chief of the AFP Intelligence Services, admitted during the CA committee's deliberations that the Philippines has "a bare minimum defense posture."

"Kailangan po natin ng support of everybody for this defense. Sa equipment po natin medyo mababa po tayo but we can defend this country," Peralta, the most senior official among all the appointees, said.

(We need the support of everybody. We need to upgrade our equipment but we can still defend this country.)

He likewise confirmed the information that four were injured after the Chinese Coast Guard fired water cannon against the Philippine personnel during the recent resupply mission at the Ayungin Shoal yesterday.

Peralta then raised the need to come up with an alternative way to conduct the resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre which is stationed at Ayungin Shoal.

“We provided information, pero ang kailangan po natin d'yan in all the senior officers na nag-uusap, we must have another way of resupplying the ship, siguro mas mabilis, mas mabilis na banca, or airdrop. I think we tried the airdrop pero medyo mahirap po… we will try our best ma’am to resupply the ship,” Peralta said.

(We need senior officers to discuss it. We need faster boats or maybe airdrop the supply. We already tried it but it's quite challenging.)

Newly-appointed member of the CA, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa at one point asked during the CA committee hearing who among the AFP officers are willing to sacrifice their lives to defend the Philippines.

All appointees stood up in response to Dela Rosa's query. —VAL, GMA Integrated News