Bato expected personal loyalty from NSA Año, CIDG Gen. Torre

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa broadcast Wednesday his grudge against National Security Adviser Eduardo Año: “Out of courtesy lang sana on the part of Secretary Año, sana kumontak man lang siya doon  (Hong Kong)  sa mga  staff ni  President Duterte, ‘Pakisabi lang na aarestuhin namin siya pag-uwi niya’.”

- JARIUS BONDOC

It reveals a sad view of public office –  that it must be personal, not professional.

A retired AFP chief, Año was named President Bongbong Marcos’ NSA on Jan. 14, 2023. Bato assumed that Año was among the few officials who planned Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest upon return from Hong Kong last week.

Duterte had entrusted Año with secretaryship of interior and local government for three and a half years, Jan 5, 2018 to June 30, 2022. Bato was Duterte’s Davao City police chief January 2012 to October 2013, then PNP chief July 2016 to April 2018. Año is from Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983; Bato, 1986.

If Bato is to be followed, Año should have repaid Duterte’s trust with personal loyalty:

“Hindi ko siya didiktahan ko’ng anong gawin niya. Pero ano ba naman kung kaibigan mo, pinagkatiwalaan ka nu’ng tao. Ngayon nandiyan na sa sitwasyon na ganyan.

“Ayun lang ikinasama ng loob ko. Hindi ko ikinasama ang loob na ginampanan niya ‘yung kanyang trabaho sa gobyerno ngayon. It’s more of personal, not official. More  on the personal level ang aking tampo.”

Nothing in Año’s job description as NSA requires fealty to past bosses. The Administrative Code states in Title VIII National Defense, Chapter 2 National Security Council, Section 8 Duties of Director (Adviser):