De Lima: New heads of DOJ, PNP and AFP are 'good choices'

MANILA, Philippines — In a rare display of support for the administration, detained Sen. Leila de Lima on Saturday said President Rodrigo Duterte made “good choices” in appointing the new heads of the Department of Justice, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police.

Duterte on Friday announced the resignation of Vitaliano Aguirre II as secretary of justice. Aguirre was replaced by Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

The president also said PNP chief Director Oscar Albayalde is the next leader of the country’s police force, replacing Director General Ronald dela Rosa. Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez was picked as the new head of the 130,000-strong military, replacing outgoing AFP chief Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero.

In a statement, De Lima, a fierce critic of the administration, told the three newly-appointed officials that they must ensure they will be remembered for not how they served Duterte, but for how well they served their country.

“They are all men of honor, competence and integrity,” she said of the trio.

“I wish these gentlemen all the luck in their new appointments, with the unsolicited advice and guidance of a senior public official like themselves that their loyalty lies first with the Constitution and the Republic, and second only with the President who appointed them,” she added.

De Lima was arrested on Feb. 24, 2017 on drug charges she says were hurled against her as part of a presidential vendetta.

A former justice secretary, she launched a Senate probe into alleged unlawful killings by the police under Duterte’s war on drugs.

Who are they?

Guevarra obtained his law degree from Ateneo de Manila, and he placed second in the bar exams in 1985.

During Congress' deliberation on Duterte's request for a year-long extension of martial law in Mindanao, Guevarra was a resource speaker for the government and fueled questions from lawmakers to defend the extension.

Albayalde, meanwhile, was a classmate of Dela Rosa at the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1986 and was the head of Metro Manila police.

In a recent interview, the incoming PNP chief said he will continue implementing Oplan Tokhang, the government’s anti-drug campaign that has been marred by alleged human rights violations.

Lastly, Galvez was the former commander of the  AFP Western Mindanao Command.

With his designation as the new AFP chief, Galvez will be bringing along with him his rich combat and administrative experiences, having commanded key military field units in Mindanao, as well as protector of the government’s peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.