Warning to Gazmin’s critics: He is PNoy’s hero

MANILA, Philippines — It was the military’s awarding ceremony for its heroes in the 20-day Zamboanga City standoff but in his speech, no one is a bigger hero to President Benigno Aquino III than Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. 

Aquino devoted a third of his speech to pay tribute to the defense chief who has recently been rumored to be on his way out. It was a speech that virtually killed such talks, if not warn those behind them. (READ: Gazmin on the way out?)

“I will ask you: Who will not appreciate a man like him (Secretary Voltaire Gazmin) whose service knows no time? I trust that our operations and strategies are in good hands because Secretary Volts is fearless and always in control,” Aquino said in Filipino.

The President narrated how Gazmin protected his mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, against a series of coups that sought to topple her administration. An Army general then, Gazmin was commander of Mrs Aquino’s Presidential Security Group.

Like the Aquinos, Gazmin hails from Tarlac and was close to the late Senator Benigno Aquino Jr.

“Let me share. My mother suffered through several coup attempts but Secretary Voltaire Gazmin was never demoralized. As the firefight broke out and the Air Force bombers were circling over us, he could have panicked. But he never left us. He chose to protect the republic and fight for democracy. Thank you Secretary Volts. Until this day, we owe you our debt of gratitude,” Aquino said.

Gazmin told reporters he himself went to Malacañang recently to ask the President about rumors he was going to be asked to resign. Gazmin said the President told him: “Pinag-tri-tripan ka lang.” (They’re playing tricks on you.)

As Gazmin is known to wield influence on the President, he has been criticized for playing favorites and pushing for his chosen officers to lead plum posts in the military.

He also recently made false allegations that China was building concrete blocks in Panatag shoal, a potentially oil-rich rocky sandbar off the coast of Zambales.

To Gazmin, the President’s speech on Monday “was a way of saying that the rumors are not true.”

Gazmin believes there are people interested in his post. He leads the defense department at a time when the government is aggressively pursuing the modernization of the Armed Forces. Amid a worsening dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea, Aquino allocated at least P75 billion to finance the procurement of, among others, fighter jets for the air force and frigates for the navy. — Rappler.com