AGFO, through its chairman and president retired Brig. Gen. Jose C. Bello Jr., said the ranks of AFP officers which need confirmation by the Commission on Appointments should also be limited to the AFP Chief of Staff, Vice Chief of Staff, and the three major service commanders.

The three major commands of the AFP are the Philippine Army (PA), Philippine Air Force (PAF), and the Philippine Navy (PN).

AGFO said Senga’s proposal will effectively reduce the politicalization of the officer corps. It stressed that officers other than the five required to be confirmed won’t have to search political patrons as early as when they attain the rank of colonel or naval captain. They can devote their time to their role and perform their duties without unnecessary inteferences, AGFO added.

Bello said the proposal to give the AFP Chief of Staff a fixed tem of at least three years is in line with the original provisions of Republic Act (RA) 291, the Armed Forces Personnel Act of 1948, particularly Section 9, which provides that the AFP Chief of Staff shall hold office for a term of three years unless sooner terminated by the President.

"This will remove what has been dubbed by media as "revolving door policy of the appointment policy" of the appointing authority and relieve him or her of this particular dilemma."

The proposal for a fixed term for the AFP Chief of Staff and to limit CA confirmation to only the AFP Chief of Staff, AFP Vice Chief of Staff, and the three major service commanders was originally sought by Senga as part of amendments to the National Defense Act of 1935. (E.T. Suarez)