MANILA, Philippines – Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin denied on Thursday that he is giving choice assignments and promotions to some favored military officials.

He also rejected reports that he is manipulating the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) promotion system to benefit only a few officials.

"If there are promotions like that, it just passes me. That is my involvement. You recommend before it is finally received by the President. I am the final recommending authority to the President," Gazmin said at Camp Aguinaldo after taking part in a National Disaster Coordinating Council workshop.

Navy Rear Admiral Feliciano Angue earlier accused Gazmin of allegedly favoring members of the Philippine Military Academy class of 1979 and other officers whom he worked with while he was still an Army general. 

Angue, the former chief of the AFP National Capital Region Command, has protested being bypassed for promotion. He was placed on floating status while being investigated for violation of the AFP Code of Ethics.

For his part, Gazmin said recent AFP assignments and promotions are not influenced by political lobbying.
 
"There is no such thing as politics because a general makes his own mark. It doesn't mean that if one has strong backing, you are going to be a general,” he said. “That can’t be because we have a point system that is based on merits."

Gazmin said the Board of Senior Officers of the major services and the AFP Board of Generals, which is chaired by the Armed Forces chief, can show the “matrix” being used in recommending officers for assignment and promotion.