Army officer loses star rank after wife’s abuse complaint

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—A ranking official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines lost his star rank after the Commission on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday rejected his confirmation following his estranged wife’s allegations of extramarital relations and domestic abuse.

“This should serve as a lesson to those in authority, not just to the officers of the AFP,” the wife told reporters upon learning of the CA’s decision to torpedo the promotion of her husband.

The personalities in this story are not identified in keeping with the principles set by the United Nations Children’s Fund regarding the protection of the identities of children in media reports. The estranged couple has two children, both minors.

“I appeal to the AFP to conduct a full-blown investigation [of cases of philandering soldiers]. I hope my case will be a precedent because there are many others who have been suffering just like me,” the wife said.

READ: Army wife convinces lawmakers to defer general’s promotion

In opposing her husband’s promotion, she claimed that he had been abusing her and their children physically, emotionally, and mentally, and that he had left them for another woman in 2017.

Since then, she has been trying to seek the assistance of various AFP units, but all of them have ignored her pleas, she said.

‘Return’ to colonel

Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo, chair of the CA’s national defense committee, said the Army official will have to “return” to his previous rank of colonel since he failed to secure the congressional body’s support for his ad interim designation as brigadier general, a one-star rank in the military.

He said the CA may take up the officer’s case again if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the AFP Board of Generals would promote him to the same rank.

“It was a unanimous decision that he be bypassed,” Romualdo said in an interview after the commission confirmed the promotion of 129 senior military officers.

“[Government officials] should take care of their families. This should not have happened. In fairness to [him], he worked hard for his star rank. But [soldiers] must also follow the honor code and observe ethical standards,” he stressed.

According to Romualdo, the Army officer will have two more opportunities to pass the CA’s scrutiny before the 19th Congress adjourns on May 24.

Otherwise, the lawmaker said, he would no longer be allowed to be promoted to general.

Monthly support

Responding to questions from Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who raised the complaint filed by the wife, the military official did not deny his wife’s claim that he had been providing only P2,000 in monthly support to her and their children.

He said he had actually been supporting them until the marriage began to unravel.

The officer nearly earned the ire of Romualdo after he told Hontiveros that he failed to comply with the CA’s advice to put into writing his commitment to provide financial support.

He said he was actually willing to give up half his monthly basic pay of over P90,000 “just to comply” with the commission’s recommendation.

“I couldn’t really recall if I was told of the amount [of the monthly support] or the exact amount that I should offer. With all due respect, it was not really mentioned how much,” he told Hontiveros.

“This is the only time that I learned that it’s 50 percent of my base pay. No problem. I will comply,” he said.

But Hontiveros and Romualdo both recalled that it was actually the husband who proposed a monthly support of P30,000 for the children.

Hontiveros even cited a letter he had sent to Romualdo’s committee saying that he was offering that amount.

“We mentioned the amount. Please, don’t tell a lie. I’m already helping you,” Romualdo told the officer, who then apologized to the members of the commission.

‘Teaching moment’

Hontiveros said it was unfortunate that the CA had to discuss his alleged infidelity and his failure to provide for his family.

“I’m sorry to hear that [he] has not complied with the commission’s advice for him to make things right by his estranged wife and their children,” the senator said.

“No wife and no children should have to beg for basic and proper child support,” Hontiveros said. “As I have said, this is also a teaching moment for all our institutions, not just our sirs and ma’ams in the AFP.”

Hontiveros said government officials should remember that “character is just as important as competence.”