Retiring AFP chief says he has no plans of running

AFP Chief-of-Staff Gregorio Pio Catapang at the Senate hearing on the Mamasapano clash (Photo courtesy of Sen. Grace Poe’s Facebook page)

MANILA — Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr., chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is retiring next month but is not interested to join politics.

“If you run, you have to spend money. It might eat up my retirement benefits,” he said as quoted in a Philippine Star report written by Alexis Romero.

Catapang added that instead of running in the elections, he would prefer to relax and have some rest.

“I will celebrate my birthday and relax because I was not able to rest for 38 years,” he added.

Catapang said that he only plans to rest for three months and is open to being appointed to any civilian position.

“I still have to work because I want to begin a new chapter of my life,” he said.

He also shared that there was, so far, no political party who tried to convince him to run for an electoral position, this is amid rumors that he is planning to run in next year’s polls.

Catapang was a member of PMA class ’81 and will be reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 on July 11.