MANILA — New Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary-designate Carlito Galvez Jr. instructed senior officials of the agency to “stay in place” despite reports of several resignations.

Galvez gave the directive to all members of the DND’s Executive Committee and heads of its bureaus during a transition briefing at Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday, the agency said on Facebook.

“We will sustain the gains of the past secretaries and will also further enhance the capability of our national defense,” Galvez was quoted as having said.

Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong earlier said about 7 to 9 senior defense officials tendered their courtesy resignations following the exit of former DND offer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr.

Faustino this week said he resigned after learning of the military leadership change "only from news and social media reports." The Palace denied he was kept out of the loop.

• After Faustino's exit, at least 7 senior defense officials file courtesy resignations
• Faustino resigns as Defense chief, to be replaced by Galvez

According to Andolong, the officials who resigned held undersecretary and assistant secretary positions. Their resignation was “procedural” for coterminous appointees in the government, he said.

• Ex-DND chief resigned after seeing AFP movement on social media

“A courtesy resignation is a customary process. Whenever there is a new head of agency, the key officials tender their resignation for the purpose of giving a free hand to the newly-designated head of the department," Defense Undersecretary Angelito de Leon said in a press conference on Wednesday.

"This is nothing extraordinary, even in other agencies more so with the One Defense Team, because we value tradition. Normal po ‘yun. It is incumbent upon the newly-designated head of agency to either accept or reject,” he added.

De Leon was among the senior defense officials who tendered their courtesy resignation. But following Galvez’s “order”, De Leon decided to stay, he said.

“In the case of Sec. Galvez, while we are ready with our courtesy resignation in accordance with customs—nothing extraordinary about it—he immediately gave the order: Everybody stays put, hence, nobody will resign or get out of here. We are intact,” De Leon said.

“We all agreed to stay—senior leaders, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries,” he added.

The senior official said the morale of troops and employees remained high.

“Let me give my assessment based on the turnout in the traditional New Year’s Call. All the key commanders were there, including key staff officers of the AFP and DND civilian bureaus. I think there is no issue on the morale,” De Leon said.

“Walang kailangang loyalty check. The AFP remains steadfast and loyal to the Constitution, the Flag and the duly constituted authorities,” he continued.

The military earlier belied rumors of a destabilization plot against the Marcos administration following the sudden replacement of its chief of staff.

During the transition briefing, Galvez was presented a formal report on the department's way forward and the 10-point agenda initiated by Faustino.

“Ang tema ng discussion was to provide the SND-designate an orientation transition briefing. Initially, nagkaroon ng pagpupulong, an executive session, ang outgoing and incoming in this hall at nagkaroon sila ng smooth transition of instructions, programs and activities aligned with 10-point agenda,” De Leon said.

“Kahapon, sumentro ang pagpupulong sa pagbibigay ng kautusan, una sa lahat, everyone stays on. Let us continue and focus on the mandate of the defense department and One Defense Team, including its bureaus and AFP… Ang importante po rito, we move forward and address the mandate of the defense department. Pangalawa, nagbigay din siya ng kautusan that we should all hit the ground running,” he added.

The traditional DND-AFP New Year’s Call was held at Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday. Galvez could not attend as he accompanied President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in visiting disaster-stricken areas in the Misamis provinces.

Galvez and AFP Chief-of-Staff Gen. Andres Centino are expected to preside over the DND-AFP Command Conference on Thursday.