MANILA, Philippines - A key leader of the failed attempt to overthrow the Arroyo administration in 2006 has joined the clamor for the extension of the tour of duty of Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Victor Ibrado.

In a statement, Col. Ariel Querubin - a recipient of Medal of Valor which is the highest military decoration in combat – described Ibrado as a “man of integrity” who will not allow anything illegal to happen. “I want him (Ibrado) extended so that [the government] cannot interfere with the coming elections,” he said.

Asked if the present administration could manipulate the results of the 2010 elections, Querubin said: "That's the rumor. To avoid suspicions, they should extend him. Those are speculations but its better to let the election pass before he is replaced.”

Querubin, a member of the Philippine Military Academy class of 1979, vouched for the integrity of Ibrado, of the PMA class 1976.

“He is my upper class and I got to know him as we grew up in the Armed Forces. He is a man of integrity, he is a level-headed officer. You cannot just do anything that is illegal,” he said.

Querubin is currently detained at Camp Aguinaldo for a charge of mutiny for his involvement in the February 2006 coup attempt against President Arroyo. Other leaders of the alleged plot are then Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, who is now retired; and then First Scout Ranger commander Brig. Danilo Lim, who is currently running for senator.

Querubin is also running for senator in the coming elections, under the ticket of Nationalista Party standard bearer Sen. Manny Villar. Querubin is deemed separated from the military when he filed his candidacy last year.

Under the present Constitution, military officers and personnel should retire from the service at the age of 56 unless asked by the President to stay on. All the three-star generals of the AFP are qualified to succeed Ibrado, although talks are rife that Army chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit, who is described as an Arroyo general by some sectors, may be appointed as the new AFP chief.

President Arroyo has actually extended the term of four AFP chiefs, the last beneficiary of which is now Presidential Management Staff head Hermogenes Esperon,  who got a three-month extension about two years ago.

Magdalo also back Ibrado extension

The proposal to extend Ibrado's tour of duty as AFP chief also received support from the Magdalo Group, which was responsible for the failed Oakwood mutiny in 2003.

“If General Ibrado is extended, it will boost the confidence of the electorate and the people in general because with him at the helm, he has shown to be professional and non-partisan,” said Magdalo spokesman Lt. Ashley Acedillo.

He said extending the term of Ibrado will give the next president a free hand to appoint his chief of staff. He said that scenario is better than appoint someone whose term will only be cut short by the new president.

“That is damaging to the reputation of the AFP. Imagine a chief of staff will be relieved by the new president. It makes sense to actually extend General Ibrado, both from a pragmatic point of view as well as from a political point of view,” said Acedillo.