The news about the Filipino-American Major General Mario Taguba being asked by his Vice-Chief of staff to retire after 35 years of service to the US Military is disgusting.

It wasn’t too long ago when our collective Filipino hearts skipped  to a proud beat when we watched the US congressional hearings on TV. At the center of it all was this very Filipino-looking man in uniform, testifying about his report on the alleged abuses at the Abu Graib prison run by the American military in Iraq. It was an assignment given to him and like a good soldier, he did his work with thoroughness and dispatch.

He showed pictures of blind-folded prisoners, half naked being tortured by their American prison guards, testified as to his findings and pinpointed the blame squarely on the people responsible for running the facility saying they violated rules they themselves had set as a standard for proper behavior. 

I remember that as I watched, I felt a sense of pride–not in what he was testifying about but in the forthrightness, strength of resolve and the character of the man. I also remember thinking that the American sense of justice and accountability was at work and here was a clear demonstration of that fact.

On the side, I thought General Taguba would be a good example and he would be a good example for a TV profile. His ethics, the choices he has to make when faced with criticizing your own organization, the balance between telling the truth and protecting your future, probe into what in his character makes for a role model worth emulating, and through it all–his Filipino background that makes a strong argument that indeed, the Filipino can stand proud when the call for persons with integrity is made.

The news today disappoints. After having done his assigned duty honorably, he was asked by the US military to retire, cutting short his impressive rise to the top of the US military organization.

The reasons for asking him to retire are not given but are as clear as the fact that at age 54 and having a sterling service record, a person like Gen. Taguba is a definite asset to their organization. In his Abu Graib report, he articulated what transparency and accountability is all about. His “retirement” sends the wrong message about what the military considers important. It has come down to a choice between preserving the reputation of the higher ups in the organization and the convenience of “shooting the messenger.”