Gen. Bangit bows out of AFP, warns of ‘dangerous precedent’
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Delfin Bangit on Tuesday bowed out of service with a warning: that what happened to him may set a “dangerous precedent” to future heads of the Philippine military organization.
“My concern is that this might set a dangerous precedent. What happened to me might happen to future chiefs of staff during a transition of government,” Bangit said in a speech during the turnover ceremony held at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Bangit was forced to cut short his tour of duty after President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III openly rejected him to be his military chief of staff. He was supposed to retire on July 31, 2011 when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.
Bangit is the first Armed Forces chief in recent history to have been eased out during the turn of a new administration. Last week, he submitted his early retirement application to Mrs. Arroyo, who in turn approved it on June 21.
Armed Forces vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Nestor Ochoa will assume Bangit’s post in an acting capacity and stay there for the remainder of President Arroyo’s tenure, which ends on June 30. (PIA-Bohol)
