Treat AFP with honor, dignity, Bangit urges By Mario J. Mallari 06/08/2010

MILITARY CHIEF lashes at Noynoy, yellows Treat AFP with honor, dignity, Bangit urges By Mario J. Mallari 06/08/2010 Apparently irked over the continuing calls for his resignation, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Delfin Bangit yesterday lashed back at the camp of soon to be proclaimed president-elect, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, as he called on the incoming administration to treat the 120,000-strong military organization with “honor and dignity.” In a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo, Bangit particularly chided Aquino’s spokesman lawyer Edwin Lacierda for calling for his resignation and other ranking military officers, apparently to give Aquino a free hand in installing new officials. “There have been an announcement made by Mr. Lacierda for me to resign, despite my acknowledgment that I serve under the pleasure of the commander in chief. He (Lacierda) does not know what he is talking about. They should know and understand that a soldier is either relieved, reassigned or has to stay in his post if his superiors want him to stay,” said Bangit. Earlier, the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) bypassed Bangit and 302 other senior officers of the AFP. Bangit’s non-confirmation drew speculations from senators he should vacate his post immediately. Aquino himself earlier hinted he was not inclined to retain Bangit as AFP chief, noting his appointment by President Arroyo came a day before the two-month ban on appointments last March 9, amid the clamor for the extension of his predecessor, Gen. Victor Ibrado. The AFP chief, however, stressed that resignation in the military is an “abdication of duty, in our Articles of War, particularly AW 58, and that is punishable under our system. “I have no intention of holding on to my position but even then I would not waste my remaining time in the Armed Forces, no matter how long and no matter how short that can be, so long as I am here I will be the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Bangit pointed out. Bangit branded recent calls for his resignation following the CA bypassing last Friday as new attempts to destroy the AFP. He also admitted contemplating in the matter of availing himself of an early retirement due to disappointment and belief that other AFP officers were bypassed because of him but decided otherwise to protect the military organization. “Instead of doing that (retiring), I decided to fight for the institution because I feel that every time they are hurting me, they are hurting our institution,” said Bangit. “I came to realize that it is no longer me, this is no longer about General Bangit whom they doubt despite contrary to evidence. This has been about the AFP, this has been about our politicians who do not understand what the Armed Forces is all about…this has been about disregarding the military system,” said Bangit.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100608hed1.html

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