Oban is ‘early favorite’

MANILA, Philippines—Lieutenant General Eduardo Oban Jr., who holds the third highest post in the Armed Forces, is an “early favorite” to succeed Armed Forces Chief General Ricardo David.

According to sources in Camp Aguinaldo, President Aquino is set to announce during the graduation rites of the Philippine Military Academy on Sunday his choice to replace David, who retires on Tuesday.

Oban, a member of PMA Class of 1979, is deputy chief of staff responsible for the administration and supervision of the joint coordinating, technical and special staffs of the military headquarters.

Oban, who entered the PMA only after finishing a university degree at the University of Santo Tomas, holds a master’s in business economics from the University of Asia and the Pacific. He was one of the top graduates of his PMA class.

Brigadier General Jose Mabanta, the military spokesperson, declined to comment on David’s likely successor.

“Let’s just respect the authority of the President to announce the next AFP chief,” he said.

What Mabanta would only say is that the process of picking the new AFP head has become more straightforward under Mr. Aquino.

The backbiting, politicking and rumor-mongering that usually accompany the selection process are now a thing of the past, he said.

Unlike in previous years, the incoming head of the 130,000-strong AFP will be chosen without any interference from politicians or influential groups, said Mabanta.

Instead of seeking endorsements from influential personalities, senior military officers aspiring to succeed David underwent a face-to-face interview with the President himself, he said.

The top candidates also had to undergo a written examination “as if they were applying for a new job.”

“For me, this is really unprecedented. There was no lobbying as what happened in the past,” Mabanta said.

“There was no pushing or shoving. The candidates let go of their vested interests. I think this is a very welcome development for the whole AFP organization,” he said.

Leadership by example

According to Mabanta, Mr. Aquino’s battle cry of “daang matuwid” (straight path) had “certainly” rubbed off on senior military officers who, he said, have vowed to respect the President’s decision.

“The AFP of today is very different from the AFP 10 years ago. Our soldiers now have become more professional,” Mabanta said.

“And I think the most important factor for this change is President Aquino’s leadership by example,” he said.

Mabanta noted that the President immediately ordered the judicious use of funds and transparency in all government agencies when he was sworn in as the republic’s 15th head of state in June last year.

“From then on, we strictly followed the instructions of the President. That’s why General David himself initiated action plans to make financial transactions in the AFP more transparent,” he said.

Mabanta said the AFP has prepared for the change of command ceremonies on Monday.

He said the five-man Board of Generals submitted to Mr. Aquino a short list of ranking AFP officials who may be named as the 42nd AFP chief.

Aside from Oban, included on the list are heads of AFP’s three major services—Navy commander Rear Admiral Alexander Pama, Army Chief Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz and Air Force Chief Lieutenant General Oscar Rabena.

The board also recommended Major General Jessie Delloza, commander of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division; AFP vice chief of staff Lieutenant General Reynaldo Mapagu; and AFP operations chief Major General Emmanuel Bautista.

Aside from Oban, Delloza, Pama and Ortiz belong to PMA Class 1979. Mapagu and Rabena are from the PMA Class 1978, the same class which adopted former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as an honorary member.

Bautista, the youngest among the contenders, belongs to PMA Class of 1981.

Work in progress

Despite the AFP’s efforts to clean its ranks, Mabanta admitted that it would take some time for the military leadership to curb corruption in the military.

He said new allegations of fund misuse and other forms of irregularities may surface in the future “as part of the process.”

“We are a work in progress. As we move on, we become better,” he said.

New PMA graduates

Meanwhile, Mr. Aquino is scheduled to commission 196 first-class cadets of the PMA as second lieutenants and ensigns of the Armed Forces when he leads the academy’s graduation rites in Baguio City on Sunday.

Cadet 1st Class Angelo Parras, 21, of Apalit, Pampanga, will receive the Presidential Saber for topping the Laon Alab Class of 2011. Parras will be joining the Navy.

Cadets 1st Class John Gregor Guiang, 21, of Zamboanga del Norte, and Jason Cortes Luna, 23, of Enrile, Cagayan, ranked second and third, respectively.

The rest of the PMA’s top 10 graduates are: Aljay Cabriga Dino of Naic, Cavite; Rigor Narag Pamittan of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; Janice Baniaga Matbagan of Baguio City; Bobby Gabayno of Cainta, Rizal; Ramon Kristofer Ganab Engay of Tuao, Cagayan; Norman Avila Carual of Tabaco City, Albay; and Jason Fabros Parinas of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

This year’s graduating class is reportedly the youngest in the past five years, with their median ages at between 20 and 22.