A panel of the Commission on Appointments (CA) chose to bypass the ad interim appointment of Ranulfo Sevilla as a brigadier general in the military on Tuesday due to concerns raised by his estranged wife regarding his alleged failure to provide adequate financial support for their underage children.
CA national defense committee chairperson Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo expressed dismay over Sevilla’s monthly financial support of P2,000 for his children, deeming it unacceptable. Romualdo emphasized that Sevilla would need to be reappointed by the President to reconsider his promotion.
“I think everyone knows that giving only P2,000 per child is unfair. So we made an agreement, I told him to comply. For that, he can make an appeal for his reappointment, and of course, if he complies, we will help him because he also worked hard for his one star,” Romualdo was quoted as saying in an ABS-CBN News report.
Romualdo criticized Sevilla for his claim of not being “totally informed of the amount” of financial support advised by the committee, which should be 50 percent of his base pay automatically sent to his wife, along with covering the children’s school tuition.
Sevilla apologized for the misunderstanding, expressing willingness to provide P50,000 every month to his two children. However, CA member Rep. Johnny Pimentel warned other military officials up for promotion, advising them to avoid being involved with women outside of their marriages.
Mrs. Sevilla, while appreciative of the CA’s action, emphasized that her opposition to her husband’s promotion goes beyond financial support, citing issues of immorality and alleged abuses. She called for an investigation into her allegations, including the claim of her husband having a mistress living in the camp.
In response, military spokesperson Col. Margareth Padilla Taborlupa assured that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) takes such matters seriously, stating, “The AFP is maturing in terms of gender and development.” She mentioned that the AFP is committed to investigating such issues, especially with an increasing number of women in commanding roles within the organization.
