The Armed Forces of the Philippines has cited the appointment of Lt. Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. as the 53rd AFP chief of staff.
“The AFP receives with elation President Duterte’s selection from a shortlist incumbent Eastern Mindanao Command chief, Lt. Gen. Felimon Santos Jr., as the 53rd chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesperson, said.
Santos replaces AFP chief Gen. Noel Clement who has reached the mandatory military retirement age of 56.
Santos will take the helm of the AFP in a joint turnover of command and retirement ceremony today in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Arevalo said that despite being a “low-key” officer, Santos “commands high respect and admiration of his superiors, peers, and subordinates,” owing to his “impeccable record” in his more than 37 years of consequential service in the AFP and the country.
“He assumes command of the AFP at the time when it enjoys a high approval rating and the campaign to end local communist armed conflict is in full swing,” Arevalo added.
The AFP spokesperson said Santos is also expected to pursue the military’s drive to neutralize the remaining local terrorist groups in Sulu, Basilan, and Central Mindanao, and carry on the implementation of the incipient stage of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Described as a veteran intelligence officer, Santos is a product of the Philippine Military Academy’s “Sinagtala” Class of 1986. (Martin Sadongdong)
