DND justifies Usec. Delos Reyes’ relief from service

The Department of National Defense (DND) on Wednesday justified the relief from service of one of its undersecretaries who earlier claimed he was unceremoniously terminated from duty after four years in the civil service. DND Head Executive Assistant Agapito Lugay said in a phone interview that the term of Retired Vice-Admiral Ariston delos Reyes, former defense undersecretary for internal affairs, has already lapsed—the reason why he was relieved from duty last week. Delos Reyes decried on Monday his termination from duty, which he said came without apparent reason. (See: Defense official decries his sudden dismissal) Lugay explained that delos Reyes, who was originally appointed as a presidential assistant, was “seconded" to the DND as an undersecretary shortly after his retirement from the military in 2006. According to Lugay, delos Reyes’ term as undersecretary already ended in 2009, but was renewed for another term only until January this year. “The maximum allowable term of any secondment from one officer to another is three years. That (secondment of delos Reyes) already lapsed. I think it (term) had been renewed and then the renewal had lapsed although it’s not actually allowed under the civil service. The maximum is three years," he said. Lugay clarified that the move was not a “termination" but a “non-extension of his (delos Reyes’) secondment." “He (delos Reyes) was appointed by Malacanang and the decision not to extend his secondment was (from) Malacanang. It's the prerogative of the president," he said. Nothing to do with misconduct reports Lugay likewise downplayed rumors that delos Reyes was relieved from duty because of reports the former undersecretary earlier made regarding the misconduct of two DND officials. “I do not know the connection to his relief since one of the officials he reported has already been terminated from the DND… What delos Reyes is doing now is that these cases have something to do with his relief," he said. In October 2009, delos Reyes filed a dishonesty complaint against a fellow DND undersecretary who allegedly signed a department order allowing the admission of his own son in the National Defense College of the Philippines. Just this month, he filed a report on the alleged illegal possession of a cache of ammunition by a DND assistant secretary. Unaware of any term limit Delos Reyes, for his part, said he was not aware that his appointment to the DND lapsed after three years. “I was not aware that my secondment lapsed after three years. We had a (memorandum of) agreement during Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.’s term, but it did not state that I only have three years," he said in Filipino in a separate interview. Delos Reyes even dared DND officials to present a copy of the agreement he signed to show that no term limits were stated in the document. The former defense undersecretary likewise suggested that the investigation on the two erring officials he reported be handled by the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) or other agencies other than the DND. “(The PAGC has to investigate so that) there will be no question or the result will not be questionable. The public would see it as an orderly investigation if it is done by the PAGC or other agency," delos Reyes said. No need to explain Malacanang meanwhile refused to explain the reason for delos Reyes’ relief from service, saying it would set a precedent for future appointments, transfers or terminations. “We don’t make it a policy to comment at each one. Can you imagine how many officials we shall have to explain everyday when they are moved, removed or appointed?" presidential spokesperson Ricardo Saludo said in a press briefing on Wednesday. “We move so many people… I’m not going to start now commenting on that because that’s an endless game. Many people are being transferred now, and we can’t keep commenting on each one," he added. Saludo likewise said delos Reyes’ replacement would be named soon, given the sensitivity of the job he vacated.—Andreo C. Calonzo/JV, GMANews.TV