ZURICH, Switzerland — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said that expertise and seniority were the reasons behind his most recent appointments.
Marcos said this on his way to Davos, Switzerland, for the 2023 World Economic Forum.
In an interview with reporters en route to Europe, the President first explained that he chose former Interior Secretary Eduardo Año as the National Security Adviser (NSA) because of his expertise in intelligence.
"Why Ed Año? Because he has a long, long, long experience in intelligence. Before he became chief-of-staff, before he became commander, he was ISAFP," he said.
“So sanay na sanay ‘yan (he’s used to it). He's well known, and he knows all of the operatives in the intelligence (service)," he added.
Año served as the chief-of-staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during the time of the late former president Benigno Aquino III.
He replaced political science professor Clarita Carlos as the NSA. Marcos said Carlos decided to step down from the post because she was not used to it.
"I think she found that position to be a little bit political. Kasi hindi talaga siya sanay sa ganoon (Because she’s not really used to it),” Marcos said.
Carlos said she would move to the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department of the House of Representatives.
WATCH: President Marcos says seniority and expertise were his reasons for appointing Eduardo Año (National Security Adviser), Carlito Galvez Jr. (Defense Secretary), and Gen. Andres Centino (AFP Chief-of-Staff). @manilabulletin pic.twitter.com/gCgKGYbEus
— Argyll Cyrus Geducos (@argyllcyrus_MB) January 15, 2023
Department of National Defense, AFP
Expertise was also why Marcos chose Carlito Galvez Jr. as the new secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND), following the resignation of then DND officer-in-charge Jose Faustino.
"Very, very experienced. In fact, as soon as he took his oath, he already... nag-command conference na siya (he already called for a command conference)," the President said.
"I think he'll slide into that position very easily," he added.
Before this, Galvez served as the Duterte Administration's Covid-19 vaccine czar and Peace Process Adviser.
Meanwhile, the President said they were rationalizing seniority when he chose General Andres Centino as the new AFP chief-of-staff, noting that he has four stars instead of Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro.
Marcos explained that the decision stemmed from their consultation with the military members. He said some of the lower-ranking officials thought they would not have a chance of being the next AFP chief-of-staff if the rule of seniority would not be upheld.
“Hindi naman tama yun. Tinignan namin (That’s not right. So we asked them), ‘What do you want us to do?’. Ayusin namin yung seniority (We’ll rationalize seniority),” he said.
Centino's appointment was a surprise as Bacarro was supposed to be the first AFP Chief to serve a fixed term of three years under Republic Act No. 11709.
Peace process
Meanwhile, President Marcos said he would ask Galvez to come up with a shortlist of persons who should replace him as head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP).
He added that the position was essential, especially with the ongoing transition of the officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
"We're redefining the relationship, for example, between BARMM and the local governments. So that's something— that's why it's very critical that we have a good person in OPAPP who can continue with the work that Charlie Galvez did," Marcos said.