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Jinggoy sponsors bicam report amending fixed term of AFP officers: Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, chairperson of the Committee on National Defense and Security, seeks the support of his colleagues for the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the disagreeing provisions of Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1849 and House Bill No (HBN) 6517 which seeks to amend Republic Act (RA) 11709 or An Act Strengthening Professionalism in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Estrada said the bicameral panel adopted the Senate version as a working draft during the meeting Tuesday, March 21, 2022, at the Senate. Under the reconciled version of the measure, the AFP Chief of Staff shall have a maximum tour of duty of three years while the commanding generals of the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Flag Officer in Command (FOIC) of the Philippine Navy and Superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) shall have a maximum tour of duty of two years. As for other officers and enlisted personnel, the measure set the compulsory retirement age at 57 years old or an accumulation of 30 years of satisfactory active service. “Mr. President, I respectfully move that we adopt and ratify the bicameral conference committee report on the disagreeing provisions of SBN 1849 and HBN 6517,” Estrada said Wednesday, March 22, 2023. The bicam report was ratified by the chamber. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)