BY MARICHU VILLANUEVA: RULING CLASS

BY MARICHU VILLANUEVA: RULING CLASS

MANILA, MARCH 15, 2010 (STAR) COMMONSENSE By Marichu A. Villanueva - After much hue and cry, Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit was finally installed last week to become the new chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Being promoted to the highest post in the AFP is a dream of every officer like Bangit and achieving it caps one’s military career.

But in the case of Bangit, his promotion as AFP Chief-of-Staff was preceded by so much criticisms and speculations years ahead before he could be nominated to the Board of Generals, all because he and the members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1978 were identified with a very controversial personality whom they bestowed as an honorary “mistah” or “adopted” classmate—President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The issues raised against Bangit’s possibly being named as AFP chief started cropping up when he was first promoted to become the Philippine Army commanding general. Bangit was replaced by another “mistah,” Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu who was named as the new Philippine Army commanding general and had their own turn over of command held at Fort Bonifacio on Friday. The next day, Navy Rear Admiral Feliciano Angue, also their “mistah,” took over as new commander of the National Capital Region Command (NCRCOM) to replace Mapagu.

The promotion of Bangit, Mapagu and Angue one after the other add to the list of PMA Class 1978 members who are now holding important posts in the military. They include Air Force Commanding-General Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena, Southern Luzon Command chief Roland Detabali, Central Command chief Lt. Gen. Ralph Villanueva, Marine Commandant Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, and Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP) chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Prestoza.

Also, their “mistah” is holding a key command position at the Philippine National Police (PNP), in particular, Director Roberto Rosales of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Holding these key posts in the military and police have made them the ruling class in the country today and no less than their premier “mistah” President Arroyo is the Commander-in-Chief of the AFP.

Bangit’s luck — shall we add the woes also — on his promotion through the years, started in January 2001 when Mrs. Arroyo took over as the Commander-in-Chief of the AFP. His rise to national fame came when the President first assigned him to become the commander of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) in February 2003.

It was during Bangit’s stint as PSG chief that I came to know him up close and personal while I was still pounding the Malacañang Palace beat. As far as I know him, Bangit is a professional soldier and a religious person. In one of the provincial sorties with the President that I covered, Bangit jokingly complained to me that his elbows and knees were getting darker and thicker in his escorting President Arroyo at her church visits and hearing of masses. He served as PSG chief until July 2006.

After serving the longest as PSG commander of Mrs. Arroyo, Bangit moved on to head the ISAFP. He was subsequently transferred to Tanay, Rizal to become the commanding general of the Army’s second Division. He later became chief of the AFP Southern Luzon Command based in Quezon until June 2009 when he became Army chief.

Bangit was named to replace AFP Chief-of-Staff Gen. Victor Ibrado who stepped down following the mandatory retirement in the AFP. Bangit himself will retire in July next year.

Ibrado retired and left behind his “mistahs” from PMA Class 1976 who are two years senior to Bangit. They include Navy chief Vice Admiral Ferdinand Golez who is due to retire in May; AFP Vice Chief-of-Staff Lt.Gen.Rodrigo Maclang; PMA Superintendent Vice Adm.Leonardo Calderon; AFP deputy Chief-of-Staff Vice Adm.Emilio Marayag; and, Western Mindanao Command chief Lt.Gen.Ben Dolorfino.

The bypassed officers from PMA Class 1976 happened to be “mistahs” of another honorary PMAer, former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro who is running in the coming May 10 presidential elections as administration-backed candidate. Teodoro is also a Reserve Air Force Colonel pilot.

Aside from PMA Class 1976, Bangit also by-passed a number of senior officers belonging to PMA Class 1977. They include Northern Luzon Command commander Lt. Gen. Ricardo David; Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) commander Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer; National Development Service Command (NDSC) commander Lt. Gen. Nestor Ochoa; 1st Air Division commander Maj. Gen. Lino Horacio Lapinid; and, AFP J-staff Maj. Gen. Hilario Atendido. By the way, PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa also belongs to PMA Class 76 but he is retiring yet on December this year.

The PMA Class 1977, too, has an honorary classmate, Sen. Manny Villar who is the presidential standard-bearer of the Nacionalista Party (NP). Although only an adopted PMAer, Villar cites his having gone through the military discipline as Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) during college days in the University of the Philippines.

Well, I’m not saying these PMA classes were by-passed in the promotion of Bangit as AFP Chief-of-Staff because they have these people as their respective honorary “mistahs.” The point is PMA should stop this practice or tradition of bestowing honorary membership to their classes. They should remember the hardships, blood, sweat and even tears they paid in finishing their military course for four years at the PMA. Their “adopted” classmates did not go through these wringers to deserve the honor and privilege of their being called “mistah.” Where is the honor there if they just got to be adopted PMAer by mere acclamation?

So there is wisdom in the personal choice of Sen.Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III not to accept honorary recognition as a PMAer. Aquino, who is the presidential standard-bearer of the Liberal Party (LP), told us about it during our STAR forum with him last month. To paraphrase him, Aquino explained that he would rather not be a member of any PMA class as this would consequently exclude other PMA classes. His sisters, though, accepted their adoption in the PMA Class 1980.

After leading the turnover rites from Ibrado to Bangit held last week at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, President Arroyo took the opportunity to commit to a peaceful transition of power to the next Chief Executive on June 30. With the ruling class led by Bangit behind her, she vowed to make way for the new Commander-in-Chief whoever will be elected President on May 10.

Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi

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