‘GMA has one name in mind for DND’

The shortlist is getting shorter.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon has denied submitting to President Arroyo a shortlist containing six names of possible replacements for outgoing Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz, but admitted that "the President asked me about a name, one name, about a person."

When asked to reveal the name he was referring to, Esperon said: "I’d rather not comment."

Speaking to reporters late yesterday afternoon at the joint Philippines-United States defense briefing in Camp Aguinaldo,

Esperon stressed, "As far as I am concerned, Secretary Cruz is and will be the (DND) chief until Nov. 30."

But Esperon added that it is the President’s prerogative to accept Cruz’s resignation and make it effective at an earlier date.

Several names have been floated as possible replacements for Cruz, including at least three administration congressmen, two incumbent Cabinet members and a former Cabinet official.

Cruz met with US Assistant Secretary of State for political-military affairs Dr. John Hillen and his party at the DND headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo yesterday. Cruz, however, did not face the media, leaving US Ambassador Kristie Kenney, Hillen and Esperon to conduct a joint press briefing.

"He’s still working on his after-term report, the achievements he has made," DND Office of Public Affairs (OPA) director Rosulo Manlangit said.

Manlangit also told reporters that Cruz may speak about his resignation next week when he releases his after-term accomplishment report.

Cruz tendered his irrevocable resignation to the President Sunday night over alleged reports that three of his colleagues in the Cabinet were plotting to oust him for opposing the people’s initiative effort to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Cruz had described the people’s initiative mounted by Sigaw ng Bayan and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) as having no legal basis and called it a "hare-brained idea."

Asked in an earlier interview whether or not he intends to recommend any possible replacements for Cruz, Esperon said: "I would probably not, unless I am asked for a name — but I would give some characteristics" needed by the new DND chief.

Asked if he would favor a former military officer or a civilian as the new defense secretary, Esperon said it makes no difference, as long as the new DND chief is qualified for the job.

"You just have to look at the qualifications, like integrity, working knowledge of how the military establishment works and then, of course, unity of purpose with the president," Esperon said.

He said the recommendation of the Feliciano Commission — which investigated the short-lived July 27, 2003 Oakwood mutiny staged by rebel soldiers belonging to the Magdalo group — discouraging retired military officials from taking the DND top post is not absolute because retired officers know how the military works.

"For one, if you have been in the service for 36 years, definitely, you know how the military works but when you get out of the service and work outside certainly you would have the aptitude and capability to think outside the box," Esperon said. "There should be no discrimination against anybody."

Esperon said the military has always accepted all appointments of the President, being the commander-in-chief.

"We know that a lot of discussions will come in and will ensue, but in the end, once the President decides, the attitude of the military is to follow what the commander-in-chief says, no matter what our preferences are," he said.

Esperon said he is hoping to find the same kind of professionalism in the new DND chief that he saw in Cruz: "I worked very well with Secretary Cruz. I hope I could work with the next secretary as well as I did with Secretary Cruz. I hope to find the same kind of professionalism, and competence."

The persons who are reportedly interested in the top defense post include former AFP chief Narciso Abaya and former Philippine National Police (PNP) chiefs Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., Leandro Mendoza and Arturo Lomibao.

The congressmen whose names were floated as possible replacements for Cruz are Reps. Jose Solis of the House committee on national defense, Prospero Pichay of Surigao del Sur, Amado Espino of Pangasinan and Gilberto Teodoro of Tarlac.