Appointments Committee approves appointment of AFP chief as the highest general

MANILA – The Appointments Committee approved on Wednesday the appointment of the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay, as a four-star general and the appointment of 29 other officials.

The CA backed Gapay’s promotion after the AFP chief of staff clarified that the army has no intention of restricting the right to freedom of expression when it previously lobbied for the “regulation” of social media in the country.

“The AFP has absolutely no intention of restricting freedom of expression on social media when I made that statement,” Gapay told CA members in a hybrid hearing.

“This regulation does not amount to a restriction of people’s freedom … The aim of this regulation is to make social media platforms, service providers, more responsible for the content they host,” he said.

The AFP chief also answered questions about his position on the Chinese incursions into Philippine waters, the recent twin attacks in Sulu and the killing of 4 soldiers in Jolo.

Senator Panfilo Lacson described Gapay, a fellow alumnus of the Philippine Military Academy, as the top graduate of the Sinagtala class of 1986.

“He graduated top of his class and got the most awards for his graduation rights,” Lacson, a former police chief, said in plenary.

“He earned notoriety as the most decorated cadet in PMA history,” he said, referring to Gapay’s 13 awards when he graduated as the top student of his lot.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, Gapay’s schoolmate at the Ateneo de Manila University, also praised the AFP Chief of Staff for his many contributions throughout his military career.

“You secured the mega Davao area after the [2016] bombing of the Roxas night market … and also secured the Miss Universe 2017 event, “said Pimentel.

Gapay also left a “legacy” in the Philippine military by establishing the Army Mental Health Center, the senator said. Gapay was commanding general of the army before his appointment as military chief.

Opposition senator Risa Hontiveros, whose late husband was also part of the PMA Sinagtala class, also backed Gapay’s promotion.

“He is not only the best in his class, but he is also one of the best and brightest of our generation,” he said.