In his 34-year military career, marked by expertise in intelligence and combat work, the 55-year-old general has been known to stand by his Commander-in-Chief. When former Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Angelo Reyes was on his way to join Edsa People Power II in January 2001, Senga, then AFP spokesperson, was assuring media that the military was united behind the presidency of Joseph Estrada. Senga, graduate of Philippine Military Academy in 1972, would do the same thing as AFP chief of staff when President Arroyo’s government was threatened by a civilian-military conspiracy in February 2006. Senga was the 7th AFP chief of staff since Mrs. Arroyo became president in 2001. It was under Senga’s term when senior military officials were investigated for their alleged involvement in the rigging of the 2004 presidential elections.
Apolitical military Senga is a traditional military man who believes in apolitical professionalism. The opposition would be hard-pressed to find support in the military establishment now in attempting to replay People Power I and II.
“We have remained firm in our position that we shall remain united in this stand not to intervene in any of the political undertakings," Senga said at the height of state of emergency. “The AFP must always be united and apolitical." News reports said Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, head of the Scout Rangers Regiment, tried to convince Senga on February 23, the eve of the proclamation of the state of emergency, to join anti-Arroyo groups marching on EDSA the following day to commemorate People Power I. It was said Senga was “initially open" to withdrawing support from Arroyo, but changed his mind after talking to Army chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon. Esperon allegedly convinced Senga to remain loyal to the President and take custody of Lim and other military officials planning the alleged coup plot. Esperon is one of the four high ranking officials being investigated in the alleged election fraud, as his name surfaced in the ‘Hello Garci’ wiretapped conversations between President Arroyo and election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano. Senga, however, immediately denied he was open to the idea of joining the rebel soldiers. “That is not true," he said, saying the talks are merely “intrigues meant to sow disunity and discord within the AFP to weaken the organization." Senga and the AFP know that the military play a key role in protecting Mrs. Arroyo’s tenure. “The AFP has a huge responsibility that is why it is the target. If General Senga had joined the coup plotters, we would have a different government now," AFP spokesperson Co. Tristan Kison said in a media interview. On March 18, barely two weeks after Arroyo lifted the state of emergency, Senga issued his five-point guidance to the soldiers, defining for them their roles and functions during “trying times."
Low profile Senga is not as controversial as his PMA contemporaries ex-Senator Gregorio Honasan and Senator Panfilo Lacson. “But in taking a low profile in the army, he managed to get the highest post in the armed forces," columnist Julius Fortuna wrote in his August 2005 column. A defense reporter covering Senga since 2001 confirms this, saying he is not used to be at the forefront. “He once admitted to us he didn’t like his job as AFP spokesperson. He was also not conscious of his high-profile roles," the reporter told GMANews.TV It was out of character when Senga made himself accessible to media when he became AFP chief, the reporter said. He however tried to evade media at the height of the state of emergency. “There was one [time] when he went through the back door in a press conference to elude media. We, however, caught up with him," the reporter said. Senga has also somehow mastered evading media questions about the President’s decisions, especially on PP 1017 and election fraud, the reporter said. “He learned to use words that really didn’t give answers, such as on the Mayuga report." Before his AFP appointment, Senga was commanding general of the 60,000-strong Philippine Army and was perceived as one of the President’s favorite generals. As head of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, Senga led in February 2003 military offensives against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in its main base at the Buliok Complex. He also led military campaigns in Central and Southern Mindanao against alleged terrorist groups like the Jemaah Islamiyah and Abu Sayyaf Group, and the rebel group New Peoples’ Army. In the 1970s, Senga was platoon leader of the Army’s 27th Infantry Batallion at the height of the war against the Moro National Liberation Front, which eventually entered into peace agreement with the government under President Fidel Ramos. Senga's other previous positions were those of chief of Intelligence Research and Analysis Division at the office of the deputy chief of staff for intelligence; operations officer of the Northern Luzon Command; and Nolcom chief of command. Senga also became Army assistant chief of staff for operations, head of the Army’s counterterrorist group and commander of the 701st Brigade in Davao. Senga received nine distinguished service star medals, two bronze cross medals, 17 military merit medals and wounded personnel medals.
Rorie R. Fajardo - GMANews.TV 
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