AROUND seven to nine officials of the Department of National Defense (DND) resigned from their posts along with resigned defense officer-in-charge (OIC) Senior Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr., DND spokesperson Director Arsenio Andolong said on Tuesday, January 10, 2023.

Andolong said these officials were part of Faustino’s team, which the latter brought in when he was assigned as OIC by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in June 2022.

He said their resignation is “normal.”

“Normal na yan, pagka dadating na ‘yung bagong SND (Secretary of National Defense) at hindi lang dito sa DND na pag may dadating na bagong principal, its customary and part of procedure na magte-tender talaga ‘yung mga co-terminus officials na appointed ng presidente na magreresign,” said Andolong.

(That’s normal, not only here at DND, that when the new secretary or principal arrives, its customary and part of procedure that the co-terminus officials will actually tender their resignation.)

On Monday, January 9, Malacañang announced the appointment of Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. as the new DND secretary.

Faustino said he tendered his “irrevocable” resignation to Marcos on Friday, January 6, after finding out only through news and social media reports the taking of oath of office of General Andres Centino as the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The DND directly supervises the AFP.

Amid the change of command ceremony at the AFP headquarters on Saturday, January 7, reports of alleged mass resignation at the DND, as well as a destabilization movement within the military surfaced.

These reports were immediately belied by concerned officials. (SunStar Philippines)