MANILA, Philippines -- Known as a “thinking general,” Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna was said to be a strong contender for the post of commanding general of the Philippine Army last year.
Luna has a master’s degree in Economics Planning and a Ph.D. in Program Regulation Economics, both from the University of Pennsylvania.
Luna lost the race to Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano, who is reportedly being groomed to replace Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. in May this year.
The term of Esperon, who was supposed to retire on Feb. 6, has been extended for three months by President Macapagal-Arroyo.
The extension was reportedly intended to “ease out” Luna from the race, according to an Inquirer source who did not want to be named since he was not authorized to speak on the matter.
There is a rule in the military that no one may be appointed chief of a major command if he has less than a year to go before the mandated retirement age of 56. Luna is turning 55 in September.
“The problem is not with Yano but with Luna,” the source said, commenting on reports that Esperon’s term was extended because Malacańang had doubts about Yano’s loyalty.
Luna, the chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, belongs to Class 1975 of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).
Yano belongs to Class 1976. His classmates, Maj. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang and Maj. Gen. Victor Ibrado, are reportedly the two strongest contenders to replace him as Army chief.
“There are many reasons for the exlusion of Luna—being hawks and doves is just one,” the source said.
Luna is perceived to be a “dove,” while Yano and his classmates are seen as “hawks,” the source added.
In a command conference in June last year where discussions touched on the unabated extrajudicial killings, a general who spoke to the Inquirer on condition of anonymity, talked about the existing standoff between “the hawks and the doves.”
The “hawks” purportedly believe in eliminating suspected communist insurgents and sympathizers, the general said, while the “doves” reportedly maintain that extrajudicial killings would not solve the decades-old insurgency problem.
Also working against Luna to replace Yano is that he’s a former member of the now defunct Philippine Constabulary, according to the source.
“The Philippine Army is very parochial,” the source said, adding that only a “pure” Army man should lead the Philippine Army.
But Luna has a claim to history, which the other officers don’t have.
Luna is a descendant of the revolutionary general Antonio Luna and painter Juan Luna.
A commandant of the corps of cadets at the PMA some four years ago, Luna initiated the change of the cadets’ uniform from the West Point-inspired military cut to the “rayadillo,” the uniform worn by the revolutionary forces against Spain.
