Duterte: I will never tinker with promotions in the military

MANILA, Philippines (Updated) – President Rodrigo Duterte said he never intervened in military promotions and he intends to keep it that way until the end of his term. 

The commander-in-chief made the statement after leading the ceremony installing new Armed Forces chief Lieutenant General Eduardo Año on Wednesday, December 7, at the military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.  (READ: Rebel hunter Año is new AFP chief)

“I did not tinker as I promised with the Armed Forces. I kept the promise to the Armed Forces and it will remain to be so until the end of my term,” Duterte said to the applause of the audience at the grandstand. 

Duterte said it was his campaign promise to stay away from promotions both in the military and the police. But he was unable to keep his promise to the police because he said the organization turned out to be so “fractured” that he was forced to intervene.

“Of the many things that I promised the people of this nation, one was that I would not tinker with the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the matter of promotions and assignments. I gave the same statement ot the Philippine National Police, but you know, as it turned out, after I assumed office, that the PNP was a fractured organization. I realized that there were so many men and officers involved in the drug industry. I had to take the bull by the horns,” Duterte said. 

Duterte was expected by many in the military to appoint the Lieutenant General Rey Leonardo Guerrero, the commander of the military command based in his home region Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom). 

The Board of Generals (BOG), the body that vets promotions in the military, recommended Año. – Rappler.com