ARAYAT -- The officials of the Armed Forces of Philippines (AFP) will undergo a massive revamp in the coming days as a result of the retirement of three high ranking officials in the coming days and the new AFP leadership.
This was bared to Sun.Star Pampanga by AFP spokesman Jose Mabanta saying that the movement will happen anytime this week and also as a result of the new leadership of Lt. Gen. Ricardo David Jr. who only took his formal office duties as AFP chief-of-staff last Saturday.
Mabanta said that the AFP chief has the prerogative to reorganize his team as well as to select new members. He stressed that the AFP chief may also opt not to change assignments of AFP officials depending on his judgment.
Mabanta also reported that David had been hands-on on his duties since his first day and is continuously visiting the field to check on the AFP ranks. The spokesman said that David’s popularity in the Philippine Army and his wide familiarity of field assignments will work well with his management style in the AFP.
Earlier, David promised President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III that the AFP will be a government toll to implement the national policy of the current administration.
Mabanta said that David has committed to continue the transformation program for the AFP making its members more disciplined and professional under his administration. The current AFP leadership is also expected to prioritize peace and order in the different regions of the country.
David had also announced a three-year self-imposed deadline to end the New Peoples Army (NPA) in the country. David had earlier announced that the AFP had managed to reduce the NPA membership initially pegged at 24, 000 active members to a staggering 5,000 members.
However, Mabanta assured that the AFP, under Gen. David’s administration will still continue peace talks with the NPA and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. (Ian Ocampo Flora)