MANILA – President Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved new designations and promotions of several military generals, flag and senior officers, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) declared on Friday.
The AFP said Rear Admiral Antonio Palces, the current AFP deputy chief of staff for education and training (J-8) was designated effective as the new Philippine Navy vice commander effective February 21, taking over the position vacated by Philippine Marine Corps commandant Maj. Gen. Nestor Herico.
Meanwhile, beginning March 12, Air Force Maj. Gen. Nesto Florente Rayos will take over the Air Education, Training, and Doctrine Command.
He is slated to turn over his current position as Air Combat Command chief to Maj. Gen. Edward Libago, the Air Force Reserve Command’s current commander.
The President also approved the appointment of Brig. Gen. Zosimo Oliveros as the 8th Infantry Division’s new assistant division commander, effective March 2. He is the current commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade.
Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Ferdinand S. Razalan will take over as head of the AFP General Headquarters and Headquarters Service Command effective April 11.
Razalan is the current AFP assistant deputy chief-of-staff for reservist and retiree affairs. Brig. Gen. Eduardo Gubat, 603rd Infantry Brigade head, will also assume as the assistant division commander of the 6th Infantry Division starting April 16.
Effective March 2, Marine Col. Doroteo Jose Jalandoni was appointed as the assistant deputy chief-of-staff for intelligence.
The current deputy commander for fleet operations of Naval Forces Western Mindanao, Navy Capt. Alan Javier, was also designated as the commander of Naval Forces West effective March 2.
The President approved the ad-interim appointment of several AFP senior officers in a separate document from Malacañang.
Brig. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, was promoted to the rank of Major General effective February 17.
Navy Capt. Francisco Tagamolila Jr., Naval Forces Northern Luzon chief, was promoted to the rank of Commodore while Col. Consolito Yecla, commander of 1003rd Brigade, and Col. Marvin L. Licudine, AFP Peace and Development Office head, were promoted to the rank of Brigadier General effective February 14.
