(Eagle News) — Newly retired Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Eduardo Año may be back in government service in less than a year.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday offered Año the post as special assistant to the President and the post of Undersecretary, “whichever was legally tenable.”
“General Año will head the (Department of the Interior and Local Government) but while he is prohibited from assuming the post for one year (under the law), so (I am offering either of the two posts),” Duterte said in the AFP chief of staff change of command ceremonies for newly appointed COS Rey Guerrero.
“You are always welcome to report to me. Maybe tomorrow,” he said, to laughter from the audience.
In his speech, the President praised Año for his “distinguished leadership” that he said “secured not only our nation” but also the “trust of the people.”
Apart from “effectively supervising” the AFP’s humanitarian assistance during the Surigao earthquakes and typhoons Nina and Auring, Duterte said Año supervised the patrols in the Benham Rise and the Philippine RIse, which he reiterated belong to the Philippines.
He said under Año’s leadership, the AFP also faced more than 800 armed confrontations which led to, among others, the neutralization of more than 2,000 enemies of the state.
President Duterte also noted the liberation of Marawi, which he said was another feather in Año’s cap.
In his speech, Año thanked all the “fallen heroes” of Marawi who he said “paid the ultimate sacrifice” and “inspired” him.
“We have definitely delivered a strong message. Terrorism has no place in the Philippines,” he said.
He also thanked President Duterte, whose love for the troops he said he personally witnessed, and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, for his “exemplary leadership.”
“I shall always walk, talk, breathe and live like a soldier. Hanggang sa muli nating pagtatagpo. Ako, Eduardo Manahan Año, sundalong Pilipino,” he said.
