AFP undergoes new revamp

MANILA, Philippines – The retirement of ranking officers, some of whom chose to leave the service early, has prompted a new revamp in the top echelons of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

A statement from military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo said the new appointments by President Benigno Aquino III were recommended by the AFP’s Board of Generals and “shall take effect immediately.”

The statement quoted AFP chief of staff Lieutenant General Ricardo David as saying the appointments were made on the basis of “the performance and track record of an officer.

“The AFP’s best players will be put in the frontlines in order to keep up the steady momentum in accomplishing its goals. The AFP remains solid and is focused to perform its immediate tasks and responsibilities to the people and the nation,” David said.

Army chief Lieutenant General Reynaldo Mapagu has been named AFP vice chief of staff and will be replaced by Major General Arturo Ortiz, chief of the Special Operations Command. Mapagu succeeded Lieutenant General Nestor Ochoa, who retired from the service Monday.

Ortiz will be replaced by Brigadier General Roberto Morales, commander of the Special Forces Regiment. Succeeding him is Colonel Aminkadra Undug.

Brigadier General Rolito Abad, the Army inspector general, was named AFP Internal Auditor replacing Major General Emmanuel Bautista, who has been appointed deputy chief of staff for operations.

Abad will be replaced By Major General William Campos, whose post as Army chief of staff will be taken over by Brigadier General Renato David, chief of the Army’s Resource Management Office.

Major General Carlos Holganza, who heads the  10th Infantry Division, is the new commander of the National Development Support Command, which was left vacant when Ochoa was appointed acting vice chief of staff and, subsequently, acting chief of staff following the early retirement of General Delfin Bangit.

Replacing Holganza is Major General Jorge V. Segovia of the 2nd Infantry Division, who will be succeeded by Brigadier General Jessie Dellosa, deputy commander of the AFP Central Command.

Civil Relations Service chief Brigadier General Francisco Cruz Jr. has been named deputy chief of staff for intelligence and will be replaced by Brigadier General Jose Mabanta Jr.

Colonel Nicanor Dolojan was appointed deputy commander of the Army’s Special Operation Command, replacing Brigadier General Romulo M. Bambao, who was appointed chief of the Intelligence Service of the AFP.

Colonel Romeo Gapuz will be commander of the 403rd Infantry Brigade. (Anthony Vargas)