Former Department of National Defense (DND) officer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr. on Tuesday said he quit the post after finding out the reappointment of Andres Centino as Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff.
Faustino issued the statement a day after Malacañang announced his resignation.
"With utmost respect, I submitted my irrevocable letter of resignation to the President, His Excellency Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., on Friday, January 6, 2023, after learning only from news and social media reports that an oath office of the new Chief of Staff, AFP had taken place at Malacañang,” he said.
In the rest of his statement, Faustino penned a message about the AFP.
He stated that the organization is “highly disciplined” and “competent”, hence it will survive under any circumstances.
“Thus, fully cognizant of the selfless sacrifice and courage of our troops and civilian human resources, I cannot allow the AFP's reputation to be tarnished, maligned, or politicized. I assure everyone that I will always hold the AFP in high esteem, which its men and women have painstakingly earned,” he underlined.
The former DND OIC said he wished nothing but the best for the country, his fellow Filipinos, and the President.
“It was an honor to have the opportunity to serve the Filipinos in my former capacity as officer-in-charge of the DND. With all humility, I am grateful and deeply indebted to each and one of you who helped us fulfill our mandate in the Defense Department over these past months,” he added.
Following his resignation, Marcos has tapped former vaccine czar and former AFP chief of staff Carlito Galvez Jr. as the new defense secretary.
