Following the resignation of Jose Faustino Jr. as the officer-in-charge of the Department of National Defense (DND), several high-ranking officials of the DND will tender their resignation, a defense spokesperson confirmed Tuesday, Jan. 10.
DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong revealed that about seven to nine officials with ranks assistant secretary to undersecretary are expected to submit their resignation because their positions are coterminous with Faustino.
“It’s normal when a new SND comes in. It’s customary and part of procedure,” Andolong said.
A coterminous post refers to an appointment issued to a person whose tenure is limited to a period specified by law or whose continuity in the services is based on trust and confidence of the appointing officer/authority or the head of the organizational unit where he or she is assigned.
The DND has yet to publicize the names of the resigning officials but based on the website of the defense department, it currently has three undersecretaries and seven assistant secretaries.
They are Undersecretaries Nemesio Gacal (civil, veterans, and reserve affairs); Ignacio Madriaga (strategic assessment and planning); Angelito de Leon (capability assessment and development);
Assistant Secretaries Pablo Lorenzo (plans and programs); Henry Robinson Jr. (strategic assessment and international affairs); Antonio Bautista (human resource); Gavin Edjawan (financial management); Joselito Ramos (logistics, acquisitions, and self-reliant defense posture and OIC of Office of Undersecretary for Acquisition and Resource Management); Emmanuel Anthony Ramos (real estate and installations); and lawyer Erik Lawrence Dy (chief of the legal and legislative affairs).
Andolong said the resigning officials will have to submit their papers to new DND Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr.
“Bahala na si Secretary Charlie kung anong gagawin niya doon (It’s up to Secretary Charlie what he will do to them),” he added.
Morale
Meanwhile, the morale of the DND officials and troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is not affected by the change in the leaderships of the defense and military, according to Andolong. The AFP is one of the bureaus of the DND.
This, despite Faustino’s revelation that he quit from his post because he was not properly informed on the change of leadership at the AFP last week. He said he only learned from social media and news that Gen. Andres Centino took his oath of office before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last Jan. 6, replacing now retired Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro.
“The DND and AFP are both professional organizations. This is not the first time that it happened and the hierarchy is designed in such a way that since you are a professional, regardless of who holds the reigns of leadership, you will have to continue your operations,” Andolong said.
The DND spokesperson admitted that some officials of the department “felt sad” with the departure of Faustino because he was a “kind and exemplary, business-like, professional, and diplomatic” officer in charge.
But Andolong added that some officials are also looking forward and “excited” with the arrival of Faustino’s replacement, retired military general Carlito Galvez Jr.
“Some are anxious too because they don’t know his management style but overall, his appointment was well accepted,” he said.
“Most of us know that the DND will be in good hands because of his experience and expertise,” he added.