Yano “honored” by appointment as next military chief, vows support to Esperon until May

By Ronron
January 30, 2008

Army chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano broke his silence Wednesday on his appointment as the next chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) when Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. ends his extended term in May.

“It’s an honor not just for me but for the entire Philippine Army, being the chief of the biggest service branch. To me, this (appointment) is a challenge and sacrifice more than a victory or a source of jubilation,” Yano said.

“It’s an honor and privilege to be given such privilege. So I thank the President for this honor and the trust entrusted to me,” he added.

Yano did not mind the delay by three months of his rise to the top military post, saying that he is certain the decision to extend Esperon’s term is “well-advised.”

“The President, our commander-in-chief, has exercised her prerogative… I’m sure and confident it was a well-studied decision for the good and interest of the nation,” he said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo extended Esperon’s term for three months, or until May 9, to allow the military to sustain the momentum in its fight against communist insurgency.

Esperon will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on February 9.

Being a decision of their commander-in-chief, the extension of Esperon, said Yano, must be respected and followed by every soldier.

“Every soldier must follow and respect the decision. I am confident that the soldiers will follow the decision of the President,” he said.

Pressed to comment on observations that Esperon’s extension could demoralize the soldiery, Yano said: “I can confidently say that there is no and there would be no demoralization because the soldiers will follow the chain of command.”

He said he may have heard rumors about the reported demoralization, but he did not feel “a sound within the Philippine Army,” which has 80,000 personnel out of the 120,000-strong AFP.

Yano said that until Esperon’s term ends on May 9, the Philippine Army will be “very supportive” of his leadership.

“For as long as Gen. Esperon is the chief of staff, we will all give our input in support of Team AFP,” he said./DMS