Yano, Luna to add to list of retired AFP men still with govt

MANILA, Philippines – Even before they bow out of military service, Armed Forces chief General Alexander Yano and vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna appeared headed to join the growing list of retired military and police officers given civilian government posts under the Arroyo administration. Yano – a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1976 who is originally scheduled to end his tour of duty on June 13 this year – has opted to retire early from the service. Turnover ceremonies have been scheduled on Friday, May 1. On the other hand, Luna's mandatory retirement falls on Sept. 7 this year yet. Luna is a member of PMA Class of 1975. On Monday, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said Yano’s early retirement is in view of his nomination to the post of Ambassador to Brunei Darrusalam. Further, Teodoro said that Luna would be retiring early in view of his expected nomination as Ambassador to the Netherlands. If their respective appointments push through, Yano and Luna will thus become members of retired military and police officers occupying government posts upon retirement. The Arroyo administration had been criticized for supposedly “militarizing" the government with the appointment of retired men in uniform to civilian posts. Data culled by GMANews.TV showed there are more than 20 former military and police officials who were appointed to government positions after their retirement. Former military chiefs appointed to government posts after retirement. (In reverse chronological order) * Hermogenes Esperon – currently head of the Presidential Management Staff; also served as Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process; * Generoso Senga – Ambassador to Iran; * Efren Abu - Ambassador to the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area or BIMP-EAGA; * Narciso Abaya – president and CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority; * Dionisio Santiago – currently Director General of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, also served as director of the Bureau of Corrections; * Benjamin Defensor – chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Counter Terrorism Task Force (APEC-CTTF); * Roy Cimatu – Special Ambassador to the Middle East; * Diomedio Villanueva – appointed Postmaster General and CEO of Philippine Postal Corporation in 2003 but was replaced in 2004; * Angelo Reyes – currently Secretary of the Department of Energy but also served as Defense secretary, Interior secretary and Environment secretary. He, however, was designated to the top AFP post by former President Joseph Estrada but led the military withdrawal of support from Estrada in January 2001. Former PNP chiefs appointed to government posts after their retirement. * Avelino Razon Jr. – Head, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, aslo served as deputy director general at the National Security Council; * Oscar Calderon – director, Bureau of Corrections; * Arturo Lomibao – chief, Land Transportation Office; * Edgardo Aglipay – chair, Philippine Retirement Agency; * Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. – Secretary, Department of Public Works and Highways but also served as as National Security Adviser and Defense chief; * Leandro Mendoza – Secretary, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC); and * Roberto Lastimoso – head, Metro Rail Transit Authority Other retired military and police officers given government posts: *Former AFP vice chief of staff Jose Calimlim – served as chief of Subic Bay Freeport Zone’s anti-smuggling task force and senior deputy administrator for operations before his death in 2007; * Former AFP vice chief of staff Ariston delos Reyes – DND undersecretary for Internal Affairs; * Retired military general Antonio Santos – DND undersecretary for Defense Affairs; * Retired military general Glen Rabonza – administrator for DND Office of Civil Defense, Executive Officer of the National Disaster Coordinating Council; * Former police Director Thompson Lantion – currently DOTC undersecretary and spokesperson who also served as chair of the Land Transportation and Franchising Board (LTFRB); * Former National Capital Region Police Office chief Vidal Querol – Ambassador to Indonesia; * Former police general Reynaldo Berroya – currently undersecretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications and executive director of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), also served as LTO chief; * Retired Brig. Gen. Angel Atutubo – assistant general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA); * Former Army commanding general Romeo Tolentino – member, National Security Council; * Former Army general Ernesto Carolina - DND undersecretary; * Former AFP Southern Command chief Roy Kyamko - Office of the President detailed to the Department of Energy as senior undersecretary; and * Former Air Force general Melchor Rosales who is still with the DILG. - GMANews.TV