The powerful Commission on Appointments on Monday confirmed the appointment and nomination of AFP Southern Luzon Command chief Maj. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. and AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Edgardo Arevalo and 13 other senior military officers through video conference.
Only three members of the CA were physically present and 17 others participated.
During the CA panel’s hearing, lawmakers took turns in asking questions on issues about the recent calls to regulate the social media under the Anti-Terrorism Law, the recent calls to establish a revolutionary government, updates of the investigation into the fatal shooting of four Army intelligence officers in Sulu, as well as the on the maritime dispute with China.
The panel confirmed the ad interim appointment of the following: Araus Robert Musico to the rank of Brigadier General; Antonio Parlade Jr. to the rank of Brigadier General; Angelica Torres to the rank of Brigadier; General Carlito Bueno to the rank of Brigadier General; Armel Tolato to the rank of Brigadier General and Edgard Arevalo to the rank of Major General; Rowen Tolentino to the rank of Major General; Norwyn Romeo Tolentino to the rank of Brigadier General; Edgardo de Leon to the rank of Major General; Danilo Cariño to the rank of Brigadier General; Andrew Costelo to the rank of Brigadier General; Peale Jon Bondoc to the rank of Major General and Lyndon Sollesta to the rank of Brigadier General.
Corleto S. Vinluan Jr’s nomination to the rank of Lieutenant General was also confirmed by the panel.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, vice chair of the Committee on National Defense, presided over a public hearing to deliberate on the appointments and nomination.
“Your Committee, after deliberating on their qualifications and fitness during the said public hearing, has determined that all of the 14 appointees and one nominee are fit and qualified to the ranks which they are respectively nominated or appointed, and has therefore ruled to recommend to the plenary their respective nomination and appointments for the consent and confirmation of this august body,” said Lacson.
At the start of the hearing, Lacson and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon cautioned the AFP to be careful in coming out with statements in the regulation in social media.
Lacson warned that such statements might come out as prior restraint when it fact, they mean a different thing.
Drilon also reminded the AFP that such regulation is not provided under the Anti Terror Law.
“Just a piece of advice. When you issue statements, be very careful, and be very conscious because when you said regulate social media, that’s Sen Drilon has been saying prior restraint. We’ll be in violation of the Doctrine, prior restraint. So you should be very careful. I know that the intention of the Gen. Parlade when he issued the statement, was not along the line of imposing restraint on social media or media in general. And that is not the legislative intent of the Anti-Terrorism Law when we deliberated on it on the floor and when we passed it,” Drilon said.
Southern Luzon Commander Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. failed to give Drilon an answer when the semator asked him if he support the stand of AFP Chief of Staff LT. Gen. Gilbert Gapay to regukate the social media under the new Anti-Terrorism Law.
Parlade earlier said that there was no social media yet when the Constitution was crafted, and now this is being used by some groups to destabilize the government.
He also said that some groups use social media to show how to make bombs.
