AFP releases national athletes from active duty

MANILA, Philippines - Athletes and coaches from all sports who are enlisted with the military can start returning to training camp and resume their duties with the national team.

This as the Armed Forces of the Philippines released 119 military athletes from their mother units back to the Rizal Memorial Complex and other training hubs.

“All of them (military athletes) are deployed back to their respective national sports associations,” Sgt. Angel Dayag, the AFP’s liaison officer to the Philippine Sports Commission, said in Filipino.

The AFP has granted the PSC’s request for a new memorandum of understanding (MOU), which essentially allows military athletes and coaches to be with the national team through a special order called DS (detailed service).

Officials expect to finalize and sign it within the week.

Military athletes were earlier  recalled to their mother units following the expiration of the old PSC-AFP MOU last June 30.

The PSC, according to chairman Richie Garcia, had already asked for a renewal as early as June 25 but a change in the AFP command delayed its processing, consequently stalling the training of military athletes, some of whom are vying for Olympic slots.

Boxers were the first to return to training camp, along with weightlifters Hidilyn Diaz and Nestor Colonia, who were supposed to undergo basic military training with the Philippine Air Force but were given concessions to skip it by virtue of the upcoming MOU.