The Palace is trying to dispel suspicions about any possible hidden agenda in the spate of appointments of ex military men, men with controversies under their belts, to sensitive civilian agencies.
Press reports are describing Interior and Local Government secretary Ronaldo Puno as having gotten “irked” when queried by reporters about the perceived “militarization” of agenicies like the National Printing Office and the Dangerous Drugs Board.
Just the other day, former army general Jovito Palparan (who’s been widely criticized for his suspected involvement in the deaths of left-leaning activists) was reported to be joining the DDB.
Former military intelligence chief, ex-admiral Tirso Danga, is set to head the NPO.
Secretary Puno has again mouthed the standard Malacanang line that the all the criticism “is just political noise.”
Yes and no, Secretary Puno, sir.
Filipinos were not hallucinating about the military’s widely known involvements in the fraud-marred 2004 elections.
Students of history also know that the military’s politicization is one of the enduring legacies of Ferdinand E. Marcos, whom Mr. Puno served in his early years as a top-notch political ‘operator… errr I mean expert.
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Would PMA alumni/ex MajGen Ramon Farolan who is now journalist of the Inquirer have been the better choice instead of ex-admiral Tirso Danga to head the National Printing Office?
Maybe it’s not militarization, but more like favors for political debts.
Militarization is like two kinds of dogs – a barking one and a biting one.
In both cases, a dog still barks or bites anyone who is not its master or boss.
GMA wants more “dogs” than she needs all because of fear the next thing that will ever happen to her after 2010 is getting jailed if not ousted before she finishes her term.
Redundant to give a slot again to Farolan who had already been Customs Commissioner before.
We have given retirement an entirely distorted definition.
American military leadership is highly sought to sit on corporate boards after they’re done with public service.
So i guess my answer is if the guy is qualified to run it, why not?
I don’t see the PMA as a professional organization – it is one big fraternity.
The much-vaunted Honor Code has a lot of loopholes and it has already had its victims.
Because of the mistah culture, the ‘crimes’ of their mistahs are being placated. Look at Maj. Marcelino who cannot tell them who that mistah was?
All things being equal, we should not appoint military officers to civilian jobs because they still have that ‘powder-keg-mentality’ since they look down at civilian because of their inherent supremacist attitude, especially Peemayers.
Spot on, karlpopper, sir