Duterte OKs law fixing terms for AFP officers, increasing retirement age of generals, flag officers

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure fixing the term of key officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and increasing the mandatory retirement age of generals and flag officers.

Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11709 on April 13 but was released to the media only on Monday.

According to the new law, the following positions in the AFP, upon appointment, shall have a fixed tour of duty of three years:

• Chief of Staff
• Vice Chief of Staff
• Deputy Chief of Staff
• Commanding General, Philippine Army
• Commanding General, Philippine Air Force
• Flag Officer in Command, Philippine Navy
• Unified Command Commanders
• Inspector General

The tour of duty shall start on the date of the appointment is signed and shall be for three consecutive years unless sooner terminated by the President.

Meanwhile, a general/flag officer “of proven competence and academic excellence” shall be appointed as Superintendent, Philippine Military Academy and shall be exempt from the application of the maximum tenure-in-grade

The PMA Superintendent shall have the rank of Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral and will be given a tour of duty of four years unless sooner terminated by higher authority.

Under the new law, the PMA Superintendent shall not be eligible for any other AFP position, except for Chief of Staff, and shall be mandatorily retired after the fixed tour of duty or upon relief from office.

The AFP Chief of Staff’s tour of duty shall not exceed three years unless the President extends it in times of war or other national emergency declared by Congress.

Meanwhile, the following AFP officers shall be compulsorily retired:

• those in the grades of Second Lieutenant/Ensign (O-1) to Colonel/Captain (O-6), upon reaching the 55 years old or 30 years of satisfactory active duty, whichever is later
• those in the grads of Brigadier General/Commodore (O-7) to Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral (O-9, upon reaching 59 years old or the maximum tenure-in-grade, whichever comes earlier
• those occupying a key position, upon completion of the fixed tour of duty regardless of age, unless promoted to Chief of Staff or relieved from post and is not designated to or occupying any position in the AFP table of organization
• those commissioned under Presidential Decree No. 1908, and those appointed in the Corps of Professors upon reaching the age of 60 or completion of 20 years of active duty, whichever comes later

Enlisted personnel shall likewise be compulsorily retired upon 30 years of active duty or upon reaching the age of 56, whichever comes later.

An officer or an enlisted personnel, after serving 20 years of active duty, may request to be retired from military service, but subject to the approval of the President, the Secretary of National Defense, the AFP Chief of Staff, or Major Service Commander as appropriate.

The new law also provides that officers and enlisted personnel shall be retired one rank higher from the last rank held.

The maximum tenure-in-grade for AFP officers and enlisted personnel is as follows:

• General/Admiral – 3 years
• Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral – 3 years
• Major General/Rear Admiral – 3 years
• Brigadier General/Commodore – 3 years
• Colonel/Captain – 8 years
• Lieutenant Colonel/Commander – 7 years
• Major Lieutenant Commander – 6 years
• Captain/Lieutenant – 6 years
• First Chief Master Sergeant – 3 years
• Chief Master Sergeant – 3 years
• Senior Master Sergeant – 3 years
• Master Sergeant – 3 years
• Technical Sergeant – 5 years
• Staff Sergeant – 5 years
• Sergeant – 4 years
• Corporal – 4 years
• Private First Class – 4 years
• Private – 4 years

READ: House passes measure setting fixed terms for AFP chief, key officers