Ex-VFA exec named DND spokesman

MANILA, Philippines – A former foreign affairs official who resigned amid the controversial Subic rape case has been named spokesman of the Department of National Defense (DND).

Zosimo Jesus Paredes II, who served as executive director of the Visiting Forces Agreement commission during the Arroyo administration, assumed the position yesterday.

He replaced Col. Hernando Iriberri, who will focus on his duties as senior military assistant of DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.

 A graduate of Philippine Military Academy Class ’71, Paredes said he would continue to follow his ideals in his new position.

“We stick with our idealism and integrity wherever we are assigned... We bring with us the virtues of courage, integrity and loyalty and we will be guided by these,” he said.

Paredes served in the Philippine Constabulary for 17 years before being elected assemblyman of the first regular Batasang Pambansa where he represented Ifugao province.

As a lawmaker, Paredes facilitated meetings between the Reform the Armed Forces Movement and former President Ferdinand Marcos. He said the late dictator ignored the concerns of the group.

Paredes was undersecretary, and commissioner and executive director of the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFACOM) for almost three years.

He resigned from his post on Jan. 31, 2007 after the Arroyo government transferred rape suspect US Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith to the US embassy from the Makati City Jail.

Paredes opposed the transfer, saying it was done even if the issue on the authority to remove a prisoner from the detention center has not been resolved.

Smith was accused of raping a Filipina identified only as “Nicole.” He was convicted by a local court but was subsequently freed after “Nicole” dropped the charges against him.

Paredes said he is ready to give up his post again if this would mean upholding his principles.