EastMinCom head named Armed Forces chief of staff
Credit to Author: Dempsey Reyes| Date: Thu, 02 Jan 2020 16:14:18 +0000
President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Lt. Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. as the next chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed on Thursday that Santos would take over the military helm.
Santos, a well-recognized officer in the field of operations and intelligence, will succeed Gen. Noel Clement who will hang his uniform on Sunday, January 5.
He is the current commander of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom), which is based in Davao City, Duterte’s bailiwick.
Santos is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Sinagtala” Class of 1986, whose other members include Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, resigned Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde, and PNP Officer in Charge Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, among others.
Before his stint at the EastMinCom, Santos headed the Philippine Army’s Nueva Ecija-based 7th Infantry Division. He also became the deputy chief of staff for intelligence of the AFP (J2).
As a junior military officer, Santos headed the 11th Intelligence Service Unit also based in Davao City and subsequently became the Group Commander of the Philippine Army’s Intelligence Service Group.
He was also assigned at the 39th Infantry Battalion.
He also sat as the chief of operations of the military’s Cebu-based Central Command (CentCom) and as head of the 703rd Infantry Brigade, the 63rd Infantry Battalion.
It was during Santos’ tenure in the Philippine Army’s Intelligence Group when the communists Benito and Wilma Tiamzon were arrested in Cebu in 2014.
Santos welcomed his designation as AFP chief.
“Thanks to [President Duterte] for the trust and confidence for me to lead the AFP. We will continue to support all the priority programs regarding peace and security of the President,” he said in a statement.
He also vowed “full support” to efforts to crush terrorist groups including the Abu Sayyaf Group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and others that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
Santos also pledged to support the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in their campaign against illegal drugs.
Military insiders said the EastMinCom leadership would be taken over by Maj. Gen. Jose Faustino Jr. of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division. Faustino will be succeeded by Maj. Gen. Reuben Basiao, the current J2 head of the AFP.