‘GMA assured of military protection’

New Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lt. Gen. Dionisio Santiago quashed persistent rumors of a coup as he assured President Arroyo yesterday of full military protection to enable her to attain her objective of building a "strong Republic."

Santiago, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA)’s Class ’70, made the assurance during turnover ceremonies at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

"I want to assure our President that from all flanks — in the front, rear and sides — she will be protected," Santiago said. "She will be able to continue running the affairs of government and she will be successful in providing for a very strong Republic."

Santiago admitted that during the early months of the Arroyo administration, some quarters had tried to lure him into joining a coup attempt. "The Filipino that I am remains steadfast to the vow of service despite the lures of fame and fortune being dangled by some disgruntled sectors," he said.

Santiago, erstwhile Army commander, took over the AFP post from Gen. Benjamin Defensor who was named AFP chief last Sept. 10, just two days before he was supposed to retire upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.

But Mrs. Arroyo extended his tenure until Nov. 18, then extended it further by another 10 days.

In appointing Santiago — who will turn 56 on April 8 next year — to the top AFP post, the President said she trusted him with her own life because of the key role he played in the military-backed EDSA II popular revolt in January 2001.

"I trust him with my life, and I trust him with the AFP leadership," Mrs. Arroyo said during yesterday’s ceremonies at the AFP headquarters.

She repeatedly called Santiago as the "Chuck Norris of the Philippines," referring to the Hollywood actor who starred in a series of "Delta Force" movies.

Santiago earned the moniker "defender of Malacañang" after he led government forces in foiling an attempt by rabid supporters of ousted President Joseph Estrada to overrun the Palace on May 1 last year. At the time, he was chief of the Army’s Special Operations Command based in Nueva Ecija and head of the AFP’s anti-coup Task Force Libra.

Defending the relatively short stints of the five AFP chiefs under her watch, Mrs. Arroyo said the length of any officer’s command "is not the most relevant trait of good military leadership."

"I believe that there is no essential relationship between the brief stints of our last two chiefs of staff, on the one hand, and the stability of the AFP, on the other," the President stressed.

Of the five four-star generals under her administration beginning with now Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, Gen. Diomedio Villanueva had the longest stint at close to one year.

"Each of these chiefs of staffs have their own distinct and remarkable personalities. But I think they have one thing in common — all my choices for AFP chief of staff have shown outstanding leadership, loyalty to the Constitution and faith in the chain of command and the Commander-in-Chief.

"That’s why I’m unperturbed on criticisms on the short terms of the last two chiefs of staff for it is leadership, not time, that is the sole measure of command," the President said.

Despite the short stint of Defensor, Mrs. Arroyo was profusely grateful to him for having developed an AFP doctrine that laid down the guidelines for the soldiers in the conduct of field operations against insurgents, criminals and terrorists.

Calling Defensor the "poet general," Mrs. Arroyo said he successfully untied the proverbial "Gordian Knot," alluding to the military’s moves to address the country’s pressing problems of terrorism, insurgency and poverty.

"I enjoin General Santiago to continue untying that Gordian Knot," she said.

While Mrs. Arroyo admitted that politics was a generally popular pastime of the Filipino people, she noted that the military has been able to insulate itself from partisan politics.

"Too much politics contributing to a weak state is a collective blame we must share in. What’s important is the willingness to change and over time, this can happen," the President said.

She also directed Santiago to carry on the initiatives started by his predecessors for the professionalization and modernization of the AFP.

"We need this modernization not only of the AFP but also of doctrines because we need to build a strong Philippine republic," Mrs. Arroyo said.

In his farewell speech, Defensor said he looked forward to a new career as singer-businessman, adding that he intends to sell compact discs entitled Sounds of ’69, a collection of songs of the late 60s produced by him and his classmates at the PMA Batch 69.

"I may have to live in poverty because as they say, poets and singers are ahead of their time, but behind in their rents," Defensor said. — With Marichu Villanueva