The bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) will deliberate on Romeo Brawner Jr.’s promotion to chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with the rank of four-star general on Aug. 30, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel on Sunday said.
The committee on national defense chaired by Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo will hold its confirmation hearing on Brawner’s ad interim appointment on Wednesday, he said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. named Brawner as the 60th AFP chief on July 21, replacing Andres Centino, who is now the Presidential Adviser on the West Philippine Sea.
The Constitution empowers the 25-member CA to pore over the competence, fitness and integrity of key presidential appointees, and to approve or disapprove them.
Pimentel said 29 other newly promoted senior military officers from the rank of colonel to major general will also face confirmation hearings before the Romualdo panel on Aug. 30.
“The CA has likewise scheduled a caucus and a plenary session that day,” he added.
Brawner meanwhile commended the members of the AFP’s Visayas Command (VISCOM) in his visit to the VISOM headquarters for their stellar Internal Security Operations (ISO) in the Visayas region.
The AFP in a report said VISCOM’s intensified ISO from January led to a total of 90 government-initiated armed encounters in the entire Visayas region.
These encounters resulted in the neutralization of 204 New People’s Army communist terrorist groups (CTG) and the recovery of 168 firearms which significantly reduced the manpower and firepower capability of the CTG in the region, the report said.
Brawner also urged the members of VISCOM to sustain their gains since “there is still so much that needs to be done.”
VISCOM chief Lieutenant General Benedict Arevalo expressed his gratitude to Brawner’s visit as he attributed VISCOM’s success to the community, the local government units, and their partner agencies.
“The whole-of-nation approach has a huge impact in our campaign. We could not have done this without the support of the local government units, our partner agencies in the local task force ELCAC, other stakeholders, and most especially our people. It is their strong will that motivates your Team VISCOM to strive for the attainment of a just and lasting peace in the Visayas region,” Arevalo said.
VISCOM also said its community support programs resulted in the clearing of 418 barangays from NPA infestation and the cooptation and reorientation of 113 former NPA-affiliated mass organizations or sectoral front organizations.
“We will sustain our gains. There will be no let up in our operation to prevent the terrorist group from regaining their foothold in the region. This is our pledge to our people. Justice will be served. The CPP-NPA will be pushed to the brink of irreversible collapse. Peace and prosperity will be attained,” Arevalo added.
The VISCOM chief concluded as he urged the remnants of the CPP-NPA to return to the folds of the law, “Our efforts will be sustained. We will remain highly motivated to end the local communist armed conflict in the Visayas region. As such, we urge the few remaining members of the terrorist group to lay down their arms and return to the folds of the law while they still can.” With Vince Lopez