Eastmincom commander is next AFP chief of staff
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday picked the commanding general of military forces in his home region in Eastern Mindanao to be the next chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero of the AFP's Eastern Mindanao Command was chosen by Duterte to replace military chief Gen. Eduardo Año who is set to retire on Thursday.
Año was supposed to retire in June and to become the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, but the war in Marawi City made him stay in his post.
Guerrero, however, will see a brief tenure as he is set to retire in December. This will give him only two months to be the head of the country's military as it continues to battle the threat of extremism and local insurgency.
Duterte announced his choice for the next military chief in a letter to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana dated October 25.
"I wish to inform you that, per your letterendorsement and in accordance with the recommendations of the Chief of Staff, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Chairman, AFP Board of Generals, pursuant to Republic Act No. 8186, as amended by Republic Act No. 9188, the designation of Lieutenant General Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero as Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines vice General Eduardo Año is hereby approved effective October 25, 2017," Duterte's letter to the defense chief read.
Guerrero has been rumored to be the next military chief, or at least a major contender for it, several times in the past year.
The new AFP chief was reported to have been eyed by Duterte to be his first chief of staff upon assuming the presidency last year, but the president opted to appoint Gen. Ricardo Visaya instead.
Guerrero was again among the contenders to become the military chief in December when Visaya retired from the service.
However, Duterte picked the more senior Año over Guerrero who was later appointed to become the commanding general of the Eastern Mindanao Command which has jurisdiction over the president's home region of Davao City.
In June, Guerrero was again reported to be among the major candidates to replace Año who was supposed to step down from his post early.
However, Año stayed in his position as clashes between government forces and Islamic Stateinspired militants flared into the most serious security problem to have confronted Duterte so far.
Guerrero, a member of Philippine Military Class of 1984, was the commander of the 61st Infantry Battalion in southern Negros and 3rd Infantry Division before becoming EASTMINCOM chief.