MANILA, Philippines?Acting Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales says there?s no way a ?henpecked husband? can be a human rights violator. And he is talking about himself.

Gilbert Teodoro Jr. on Monday formally relinquished the defense portfolio to Gonzales, the national security adviser, to prepare for his presidential candidacy next year as the administration party?s standard-bearer.

Teodoro said the Department of National Defense was in ?good hands? with Gonzales.

In a press conference, Gonzales declared that ending the armed rebellion in the next seven months before President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo steps down in June 2010 would be among his major priorities.

?The President has not given us a new order with respect to ending the armed rebellion by the end of her term so that to me is a major focus because we have seven months left,? Gonzales said.

He shrugged off as mere propaganda fears among leftist critics that his term would result in more human rights violations, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.

?Under the saya nga ako tapos sasabihin pa na human rights violator ako? (I am a henpecked husband and yet I am accused of being a human rights violator?)? Gonzales said.

Leftist groups have blamed Gonzales as among the promoters of Oplan Bantay Laya, the government?s counterinsurgency policy that allegedly targets leaders and members of the legal mass organizations allied with the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People?s Army, for executions and forced disappearances.

A communist protector?

Gonzales, who was also acting defense chief in 2007, promised to protect communists if they would eschew armed violence.

?They would have something to be scared about if they kill and point a gun at any civilian but if they promote communism using the democratic means of achieving change in the country, I will protect them,? he said.

Defending the human rights of every Filipino will be the paramount mission of the armed forces under his watch, he said, along with addressing disasters as a result of climate change and improving the military?s external defense capability.

He also said kidnappers in Mindanao would be severely dealt with, pointing out that negotiations with terrorists must be handled by personalities not involved in the peace talks with Moro rebels.

Gonzales was apparently referring to the recent kidnapping of Fr. Michael Sinnott, where some members of the government panel and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front were involved in talks for the release of the abducted Irish priest.

?We are tapping the same influential people to negotiate with the kidnappers and during the negotiations we treat them like they are freedom fighters but they are not ? They are killers,? he said.

Gonzales also vowed that the military would help make the May elections credible. ?I will not allow anybody to tarnish the name of the military,? he said.

Transitional gov?t for reforms

He declined to discuss his earlier statements about the formation of a transitional government headed by Ms Arroyo and composed of the executive branch, the judiciary, Congress, the civil society, the Church and the military to initiate genuine reforms.

When he made the suggestion as a national security adviser, Gonzales said he was merely doing his ?major duty? of initiating ?meaningful debate in our society.?

?Actually I just wanted the people to go back in history and look in on the more sensitive and critical aspect of the people power,? he explained.

Constitutionally dangerous

Such views make Gonzales ?constitutionally dangerous? to the country, said Sen. Rodolfo Biazon.

?I think he should be recalled because his advocacies are dangerous to the constitutional government ? he presents a clear and present danger to the constitutional structure of the government,? Biazon told reporters Monday.

?We have to relate this to the no-election scenario because a no el scenario can justify that so called transition government and here the advocate of those revolutionary ideas is given the power to oversee and control the Armed Forces of the Philippines,? he said.

?Unless President Arroyo is in cahoots with this secretary in pursuing a no-election scenario, then something is wrong,? said Biazon, a former Armed Forces chief of staff. With a report from Christine O. Avendaño