Southcom, Pimentel stressed, cannot be led with efficiency and resolve by commanders who are retiring in a few months’ time, an obvious reference to the appointment of Maj. Gen. Gabriel Habacon as the new Southcom chief.

Habacon, who figured prominently in the "Hello, Garci" tape, will leave the military service on September 9, meaning that he would command Southcom for only eight months. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan, retired on January 10, serving his last post only for three months.

The new Southcom chief was tagged by the opposition for his role in alleged electoral fraud in Mindanao that led to the mysterious avalanche of Arroyo votes from areas controlled by the military or by traditional political kingpins aligned with her.

Pimentel tagged the practice as "unhealthy" since the Southcom commanders stay at their posts only for a few months before they are put to pasture.

He added that this would only mean that they would not accomplish much in combating the insurgency and terrorism in Mindanao.

Pimentel stressed that 25 Southcom commanders since 1986 have served in that capacity for an average of only six months.

"The Southcom in the last several years has become a musical chair position for those appointed to head the command. You cannot solve the armed conflicts in Mindanao militarily without somebody who can have a little more time for the job," the lone senator from Mindanao said.

Pimentel stressed that military officers who have less than one year of service before reaching compulsory retirement of 55 should no longer be eligible for appointment as Southcom chief.

For those with longer time of military service before retirement, Pimentel lamented that their tour of duty as Southcom chief was usually cut short after they were elevated to a higher post in the AFP hierarchy.

The Southcom assignment is looked upon as some kind of a jumping board especially for those aspiring to become AFP chief-of-staff.

"I think that the government should revise its policy regarding appointments to Southcom so that there is some kind of a tenure give to the Southcom chief to really enable him to plan more concrete steps to solve the security problems in Mindanao not only militarily but also to help in the implementation of programs in support of the peace process," Pimentel said.

The minority leader also decried the way the Southcom posting is treated by the administration as a "reward for those who have served the government’s political intention prior to retirement." He said this only spawns demoralization and discontent in the military.

According to Pimentel, there have been 27 generals who served as Southcom chief. Two of them served during the Marcos regime, after 1986, 25 more served as AFP chief, including eight since 2001.

Of the 25 Southcom chiefs under the post-Marcos era, Gen. Gumercindo Yap served the longest for two years.

Five others served at least one year but less than two years, 12 served for six to 11 months while seven served for less than six months.