ANGELES CITY — The Department of National Defense denies the story in last Thursday’s Postscript quoting sources who said that newly promoted generals waited for almost two hours for President Aquino to administer their oath of office at the Bahay Pangarap across the river from Malacañang.

Eduardo G. Batac, chief of the DND public affairs office, said in an email to me:

“We refer to your column that was published in the January 20, 2011 issue of the Philippine Star. In your column Postscript, you raised the issue of newly promoted generals allegedly waiting for almost two hours before His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III was able to administer their oaths. This incident supposedly happened last January 11, 2011 at the Bahay Pangarap, the presidential residence across the river from Malacañang.

“We would like to categorically state here that no such tardiness, on the part of the President, occurred. The affair started punctually at 1:30PM, not at the Bahay Pangarap across the river, but at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace. The oathtaking ceremony was not only for the newly promoted generals and flag officers of the AFP, but also for the newly appointed officials of other government departments and agencies. The ceremony was immediately followed by the traditional picture taking of the newly promoted and appointed officials and their families with the President, a practice which not only portrays the President’s recognition and appreciation of these government officials’ achievements, but also an occasion for the President to give importance and honor to the immediate family of these officials.

“In the same column, you also raised the issue regarding the traditional New Year’s call on the President by DND and AFP officials. Traditionally, it is only the Secretary of National Defense, the AFP Chief of Staff and the Commanders of the three major services who call on the President. The New Year’s Call occurred on January 7, 2011.

“On the other hand, senior officials of the Department of National Defense and senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines called on the Secretary of National Defense and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the traditional New Year’s felicitations on January 2, 2011.

“The January 4 affair was the turnover of command of the Philippine Navy, wherein President Aquinoofficiated as presiding officer. No other program was “piggy-backed” on this ceremony, even as the usual New Year’s greetings were exchanged as a matter of courtesy and expression of good will among the military officers and dignitaries, including the President, who graced the occasion.

“We will appreciate the publication of these clarifications in your newspaper.

“We also invite you to contact us for any information that you might need with regard to the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines issues. We will be more than glad to be of assistance.”

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ALL RIGHT: Maj. Gen. Francisco Cruz, armed forces deputy chief of staff for intelligence (J2), also said in the news that contrary to a published report, the President was on time and that the generals took their oath at Malacañang and not at Bahay Pangarap.

“No, he was on time,” Cruz said. “The report is wrong. Kami ang maagang dumating.” He added that one hour before the scheduled 1:30 p.m. event, the newly promoted officers and their families, were already at Malacañang.

The PMA Honor Code says “A cadet does not lie, cheat, steal nor tolerate those who do.”

All right, Mr. Cruz?

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ITEM AT ISSUE: The military officers were reacting to the Postscript of Jan. 20 that said in part:

“Last Jan. 11 daw, 13 newly promoted generals cooled their heels at the Bahay Pangarap, the presidential residence across the river from Malacañang, waiting for the Commander-in-Chief to administer their oaths.

“They had been waiting for almost two hours when a jubilant Joshua reportedly emerged from a room shouting ‘Natalo ko rin siya!’ followed shortly by his uncle the President.

“The oath-taking that followed took no more than 30 seconds.

“Last Jan. 1, the generals were (also) waiting for Malacañang to schedule them for the traditional call on the Chief at the start of a new year. No such call happened on that red-letter day.

“The generals’ call on the President finally took place Jan. 4 — not at Malacañang as tradition would have it, but at the Navy headquarters on Roxas Blvd.”

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CARANDANG: Philippine STAR management told me a reporter and a photographer of the paper covered the generals’ oath-taking.

Last Friday, reporter Aurea Calica emailed this clarification from Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ramon “Ricky” Carandang:

“The President did not make the military generals wait for their oath-taking at the Bahay Pangarap. Carandang said the President prepared for it early and that the military generals were the ones who came in a bit late. Also, Carandang stressed the President’s nephew, Joshua was not there. ‘This has nothing to do with Josh at all,’ Carandang said. Carandang said if ever the President would be late in meetings, it is because the previous ones would take a bit longer than the scheduled time. But he was never late for more than two hours in any of his meetings or events, Carandang said.”

Amen.