Manila Retires 30 Generals
The Philippine military retired 30 generals Friday and announced major changes ordered by President Corazon Aquino aimed at putting more muscle in the fight against the Communist insurgency.
“We are gong to streamline and remove the fat from headquarters,” chief of staff Gen. Renato de Villa said, pledging to turn support groups into fighting units.
He told reporters that the Philippines will be divided into six major regional commands--half the present number--in the first moves to dismantle the regional unified command system set up by deposed President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
The system had been widely seen as a way of allowing Marcos to bring the military under his system of personal patronage.
The generals are among 35 senior officers who must step down under a new rule requiring officers to retire after 30 years’ service or at the age of 52.
In a recent speech to the military, Aquino forecast sweeping reforms and demanded “more soldiers behind guns and less behind desks.”
The changes are the most radical alterations to the structure of the 160,000-strong regular military made by Aquino since she replaced Marcos two years ago.
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