By: Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
President Duterte has appointed retired Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Año as an undersecretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Año was appointed to the DILG that he will lead in 2018 last Thursday, the day he retired from the AFP for reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.
Duterte has expressed desire to appoint Año as the next DILG Secretary. However, the Local Government Act bars the appointment of “retired or resigned military officers or police officials within one year from the date of his retirement.”
The Chief Executive has also expressed desire to appoint Año as a Special Assistant to the President or any other position which would be allowed by the law.
Año is set to supervise the Philippine National Police with DILG officer-in-charge Undersecretary Catalino Cuy.
Año was supposed to retire in June after Duterte announced his appointment to the DILG. However, his appointment was deferred due to the war in Marawi City.
Duterte said during the change-of-command ceremony on Thursday in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City that the “crown jewel” of Año’s career is the battle against Daesh-inspired terrorists in Marawi.
“Gen. Año’s distinguished leadership resulted to a stronger AFP that did not just secure our nation, but also secured our people’s trust and confidence in the military establishment and the soldiers that it represents,” Duterte said.
“Of course, the crowning jewel of his impressive career is none other than the Battle for the Liberation of Marawi, which resulted to the neutralization of almost a thousand ISIS-inspired insurgents which include high-value targets being (hunted) around the world,” he added, referring to slain Abu Sayyaf Group leader Isnilon Hapilon.
