One is the continued thriving career of Maj. Gen. Gaudencio “Boy Gee” Pangilinan, one of Gloria Arroyo’s dependable generals, under Aquino’s supposedly reformist administration.
Angue identified Pangilinan as one of the Class ’79 officers close to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. He said Pangilinan served as intelligence officer and comptroller of Gazmin when the latter was still in the active military service.
Proof of Pangilinan’s clout with Gazmin is his inclusion in the first batch of officers who moved up under this new administration. Last month, he was named commander of Northern Luzon Command vice Lt. Gen. Ricardo David who was named AFP chief of staff.
The Nolcom chief position requires a three-star general. Pangilinan is a two-star general. His third star is still awaiting the signature of President Aquino.
The problem is, Pangilinan turned 55 last July 25. The mandatory age for retirement in the AFP is 56. Under the law except for the one slated to be AFP chief, an officer with less than a year cannot be promoted.
As of yesterday, Aug. 20, there was no word that Aquino has signed the promotion papers of Pangilinan. We are watching this closely because this impacts on the professionalism in the military that members of the armed forces are yearning for.
Is Malacañang coming out with an ante-dated promotion for Pangilinan? Pwede ba yun? If he fails to get his third star, will he continue holding on to the position of Nolcom commander?
The answers to these questions are related to the other issue raised by Angue which was political partisanship in the military.
Malacañang and the military are downplaying the call of Angue for an investigation of generals who engaged in partisanship in the last May elections.
Do you remember the statement of then presidential candidate Aquino that he would call for People Power if the first automated election was rigged and Arroyo attempted to hold on to power?
He made that after a meeting with some generals who reportedly told him that Arroyo was not giving up power and was preparing for three scenarios” No-election, No-Proclamation and coup-me.
They fed Aquino stories of then AFP Chief Delfin Bangit planning to sabotage the first automated elections so no winner would be proclaimed.
These generals assured Aquino that they would resist Arroyo’s plans and that they would help install him to the presidency if no winner was proclaimed within a week after election. One of these generals, a source said, was Pangilinan.
These officers also tried to talk with some officers. A number told them that they didn’t want to be involved in political partisanship and that what they should do was to make sure that elections would be peaceful and orderly.
Well, there was an election, Aquino won in an election that was seen a peaceful and credible. He was proclaimed.
Our own sources in the military said, even if Arroyo had entertained those plans, there was no military group that thought of supporting Arroyo’s continued stay in power. Not even Bangit.
But Pangilinan was able to sell his story to Aquino and Gazmin and he has been duly compensated.
We know many officers are watching closely if Pangilinan will get his third star despite the one-year ban. They would know from there if President Aquino is sincere in his exhortation to the people to take the “matuwid na daan.”
A friend who knows Pangilinan said she is amazed by Boy Gee’s knack to be at the right place at the right time.
She said, “In 1998 or following his Mindanao stint, immediately after Erap’s election or sometime in May 1998, he told me he wanted an introduction to Gloria because he was sure Gloria would be next president.”
Indeed, he was able to find a way to Gloria Arroyo’s favor.
When concerned citizens were protesting the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao last year, Pangilinan, who was then vice chief of staff for operations, batted for the extension of martial law up to elections.
Had that idea taken off, who would have benefited?
The problem is, Pangilinan turned 55 last July 25. The mandatory age for retirement in the AFP is 56. Under the law except for the one slated to be AFP chief, an officer with less than a year cannot be promoted.
Malinaw palang hindi pwde…. lilihis ba si Pnoy sa tuwid na daan dahil lamang sa isang Pangilinan? khit isama pa si Gazmin? Pero ang tanong.. bakit pa nilagay si Pangilinan sa position na dapat may ranggong 3-star general kung hindi din naman pala pwde ma-promote…
Last month, he was named commander of Northern Luzon Command
Last month?kung before July 25 at gusto talgang ipromote.. sana napirmahan agad bago lumagpas ang July25…
Perl:
There are 2 types of promotion in he military. Promotion in billet(assignment) and promotion in rank. Pangilinan’s seeming promotion to a 3 star position as Nolcom chief does not necessarily follow that he will be promoted to 3 star. Just like in the case of Angue. Was he demoted? Nope. He was not even recommended for promotion in the first place. he was sourgraping because if he was recommended for 3 stars, he would have been a contender for FOIC, PN. This was the position that he was really salivating about. NCRCOM to me is a white elephant, primarily created as an anti-coup force kuno. More like a lousy justification for the AFP to fill up the countless star positions in the military. Ang daming estrelya wala namang mga kagamitan. Mga ogags tong mga upperclassmen ko. Wag ka na magtaka kung bakit lumayas ako sa serbisyo. 😛
“There are 2 types of promotion in he military. Promotion in billet(assignment) and promotion in rank.” – henry90
I’m at a loss that the Noypi military recognizes a higher billet assignment as a promotion, and I’m also assuming there is no pay increase when assuming a greater responsibility (otherwise, only in da pilipins naman ito). There’s no doubt it’s a stepping stone to the next rank.
Case in point to Pareng Cocoy’s navy; a junior captain of an aircraft carrier is likely to become a rear admiral than a more senior captain assigned to a billet on supply ships or tenders; with the exceptions of nuclear cruisers. But it’s not publicized as a promotion when assuming a critical billets. Just my take.
The problem is, Pangilinan turned 55 last July 25. The mandatory age for retirement in the AFP is 56. Under the law except for the one slated to be AFP chief, an officer with less than a year cannot be promoted.
As of yesterday, Aug. 20, there was no word that Aquino has signed the promotion papers of Pangilinan. We are watching this closely because this impacts on the professionalism in the military that members of the armed forces are yearning for.
Yes, we will watch this closely.
Tingnan natin kung sa matuwid na daan ito dadaan.
I would like to see both Boygee and Angue FROZEN! They are both USERS.
Mabuti naman I was able to post. Eight hours ago, I couldn’t post.
Ano bang incredible and talented itong boy gee na ito? Magaling lang sumipsip at manira ng tao ito. Wala namang naipakita na galing ito. Magtanong ka nga ellen sa loob ng afp kung anong klaseng tao itong sinasabi mong talented na boy gee na ito? Magaling ito sa pangungurakot at pambababae. Akala ko ba galit ka sa mga taong, lalong lalo na sa mga taga gobyerno, na bababaero? Alamin mo ellen ang mga character ng tao na itong si boy gee pangilinan kung anong klaseng animal ito. Salamat.
M, grabe naman ang pangalan mo.
Basahin mo ng husto ang sinulat ni Ms Ellen. Pahaging. “Satire” ang tawag dyan. Or sarcastic.
Magaling naman talaga si Boygee. Sa sipsipan whoever is in power. Talent yan ha.
MGEN Pangilinan was promoted to an area command, NOLCOM without first becoming a division commander. He indeed has good timing.
Hi Ellen,
Re: “The mandatory age for retirement in the AFP is 56. Under the law except for the one slated to be AFP chief, an officer with less than a year cannot be promoted.”
Am no longer sure but seems to me that the rule on promotions is that no officer may be promoted to a major command position with less than a year in service to go. Also, if my memory serves me right, same rule applies to CSAFP post (but must say, am not sure.)