By Mario Casayuran Generals and senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) affirmed Wednesday the supremacy of civilian authority over the military as enshrined in the Philippine Constitution. Their affirmation was appreciated by members of the powerful 25-man Commission on Appointments (CA) when they went through the confirmation process of their appointments conducted by the CA national defense committee chaired by Rep. Seth Frederick P. Jalosjos at the Senate building. Aside from Jalosjos, Senator Risa Hontiveros also expressed her appreciation just before the CA, in plenary session presided by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, concurrent CA chairman, confirmed the appointments of 74 generals and senior officers of the AFP. Hontiveros was referring to the statement of Brig. General Allen T. Paredes that he respects civilian authority over the military when CA members, including Senators Panfilo M. Lacson and Gregorio B. Honasan II, grilled them before the Jaloisjos committee. The CA committee later moved to recommend the confirmation of Paredes and 73 other AFP officers during the CA plenary session. Both Lacson and Honasan are, like most the 74 AFP officers present in the CA committee hearing, graduates of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). The 74 AFP officers confirmed consisted of six major generals, 10 brigadier generals, and 58 colonels. Aside from Paredes, the five other AFP officers confirmed as Major Generals were Nathaniel Y. Casem, Pelagio R. Valenzuela, Alejandro A. Baclayon, Pio Q. Dinoso and Cirilito E. Sobejana. In Wednesday’s plenary session, Jalosjos noted that Sobejana is a ‘’Medal of Valor’’ awardee. Sobejano is the commander of the 6th Infantry, Philippine Army, detailed at Camp Siongco, Awang, Datu Sinsuat, Maguindanao. There was a light moment during the Jalosjos committee public hearing when Lacson and Honasan noted an entry in the CA document filed by Lieutenant Colonel Audie Mongao that he has three wives. Asked to explain, Mongao said he has two current wives after his first wife left their conjugal home to be with her lover. Still, Honasan did not let go until Mongao explained the two other wives. The explanation of Mongao is that he has two other wives after he was converted into the Muslim faith. While Christians are allowed to have only one wife, the Muslim faith allows a man to have four wives.