Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. on Tuesday confirmed there were “rumblings” among military officers due to the delay in their promotions but he added their concerns would be resolved by March.

“Yes Sir, (there are rumblings). The unintended consequences of the retirement law gravely affected the morale of those from (PMA) classes 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994 because they could not be promoted since they are getting older,” he added.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada earlier asked about reports of rumblings in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a Senate hearing on the law providing a three-year fixed term for military officers or Republic Act 11709.

Galvez said the delay in the military officers' promotions greatly affected their morale.

“I believe we are addressing it. We saw that it was a major problem. Based on my experience... when their promotion is delayed, they are nearing their retirement,” Galvez said.

Galvez told the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security: “We are able to normalize everything on or before the end of the quarter, your honors.”

He said some military officials could not be promoted because there was a ban on promotion 45 days before and after the election as well as due to the transitioning of the government.

Galvez said after he was appointed as defense secretary on January 9, he requested President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to finish signing promotion documents before he flew to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland.

When Marcos arrived in Switzerland, he called up Galvez to tell him he had fulfilled his promise to sign the documents on Saturday and Sunday.

For his part, AFP chief Gen. Andres Centino said that he was “in control” of the military and that his transition to the post was smooth.

The AFP officials also requested during the hearing to make three years the maximum term for the chief of staff instead of a fixed term and to give service commanders a maximum term of two years. Jaspearl Tan/DMS