Eduardo Año

Eduardo Manahan Año (; born October 26, 1961) is a Filipino public official and retired general of the Philippine Army who served as Secretary of the Interior and Local Government in the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte from 2018 to 2022. He previously served as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from 2016 to 2017, and was the Commanding General of the Philippine Army from 2015 to 2016. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, Año, along with the rest of the Philippine government's Cabinet Secretaries, became part of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, a task force formed to advise the President on the strategies which would effectively manage the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Life and career

Military career

Eduardo Manahan Año was born in San Mateo, Rizal on October 26, 1961. He graduated elementary as valedictorian. He entered the Philippine Military Academy and became a member of the PMA ''Matikas'' class of 1983, where he graduated as ''Cum Laude''. He is also a graduate of the Scout Ranger Course and took courses in the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School in Arizona, and in the Israel Counter Terrorism Center in 2002. He finished on the top of his class in the International Officer Intelligence Course at Fort Huachuca, Arizona in 1993, by earning a 100 percent grade rating in the course.

Año held various military positions primarily in the Military Intelligence Positions, before being appointed in infantry positions, such as the Commander of the Intelligence and Security Group of the Philippine Army, the Chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Commander of the 10th Infantry (Agila) Division, In the years of his military service, he led the capture of Benito and Wilma Tiamzon of the Communist Party of the Philippines in 2014, as well as the death of a New People's Army Commander, Leonardo Pitao, known as "Kumander Prago" in his term as commander of the 10th Infantry Division. Año also served as the 57th Commanding General of the Philippine Army from July 14, 2015, to December 7, 2016, after he succeeded General Hernando Iriberri, where he continued his predecessor's approach in modernizing the Army while further enhancing the Army's intelligence capabilities, and strengthening the country's alliances with other countries such as the United States and ASEAN member states. Año was eventually named the 48th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines after serving his term as Army chief for 1 year and 5 months, from December 7, 2016, to October 26, 2017.

He received the Philippine Military Academy Cavalier Award in 1996 as an outstanding PMA Alumnus in the field of Army Operations. He is also a recipient of the Philippine Legion of Honor (Degree of Chief Commander) and the Panglima Gagah Angkatan Tentera (PGAT) by the King of Malaysia.

Battle of Marawi

During his term as the Chief of Staff of the AFP, he initiated and oversaw overall military operations against the Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorist groups during the 5-month long Battle of Marawi and launched an offensive operation to retake Marawi City and secure the city's outskirts to prevent any terrorist reinforcements entering the city, while encircling the city from all directions. Afterwards, he was appointed Martial Law Administrator in Mindanao during the declaration of martial law under Proclamation No. 216. As Año's term as Chief of Staff was schedule to end within October 26, 2017, he spent his last weeks in office finalizing the AFP's final offensive within Marawi City and killing the terrorist group's two key commanders, Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute on October 16, 2017. 1 week later, on October 23, 2017, Año, along with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced the end of all military operations within Marawi City. Año formally retired from military three days after the declaration of the conclusion of the Marawi Siege and was replaced by then-commander of the AFP Eastern Mindanao Command, Lieutenant General Rey Leonardo Guerrero.

Secretary of the Interior and Local Government

President Rodrigo Duterte designated Año as officer-in-charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in January 2018. Año could not be given the secretary post immediately because Republic Act 6975 prevents a retired or resigned military officer from being appointed as a secretary within one year from the date of their retirement or resignation. He formally took oath as Secretary of the Interior and Local Government on November 6, 2018.

As the secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Año ordered local chief executives to spearhead the fight against COVID-19 in their own areas of jurisdictions. He also exacted accountability from LGU and barangay officials who violate the policies, guidelines, and protocols issued by the IATF-EID.

Año ordered the shift in the government's counter-insurgency drive, involving governors, mayors, and village chiefs to ensure good local governance and shared accountability with the private sector, civil society organizations, and the citizenry to address the issues which cause rifts and misunderstandings between government and the people.

Awards

* Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation
* Martial Law Unit Citation
* People Power I Unit Citation
* People Power II Unit Citation
* Philippine Legion of Honor- Degree of Chief Commander
* Panglima Gagah Angkatan Tentera (PGAT)
* 4 Distinguished Service Star
* Gold Cross Medals
* Silver Cross Medal
* 24 Bronze Cross Medal for intelligence operations
* 36 Military Merit Medals
* 10 Military Commendation Medal
* Silver Wing Medal
* Gawad sa Kaunlaran
* Sagisag ng Ulirang Kawal
* Military Civic Action Medal
* Parangal sa Kapanalig ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas
* Long Service Medal
* Anti-Dissidence Campaign Medal & Ribbon
* Luzon Anti Dissidence Campaign Medal
* Mindanao Anti-Dissidence Campaign Medal
* Jolo and Sulu Campaign Medal
* Disaster Relief & Rehabilitation Operation Ribbon
* Special Forces Qualification Badge
* Combat Commander's Badge (Philippines)
* Scout Ranger Qualification Badge
* Philippine Army Command and General Staff Course Badge
* PAF Gold Wings Badge
* PMA Cavalier Award

Personal life

Eduardo Año is married to Jean Joselyn Maria R. Dioso and they have 4 children.

On April 9, 2020, Año disclosed that he tested positive for COVID-19 and claimed that he was asymptomatic. He had himself tested on March 27 after learning that he came into close contact with at least four other government officials who tested positive for COVID-19, including Felimon Santos Jr. and Jojo Garcia. He recovered on April 13, after a test that was performed on April 8 had a negative result. On August 16, Año announced that he tested positive again for COVID-19.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ano, Eduardo
1961 births
Living people
Secretaries of the Interior and Local Government of the Philippines
Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs (Philippines)
Philippine Army generals
People of the Philippine Drug War
Benigno Aquino III administration personnel
Duterte administration cabinet members
Philippine Military Academy alumni
Recipients of the Philippine Legion of Honor
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Star
Recipients of the Bronze Cross Medal
Recipients of the Military Merit Medal (Philippines)
Recipients of the Military Commendation Medal
Recipients of the Silver Wing Medal
Recipients of the Gold Cross (Philippines)
Recipients of the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation