PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) commander Lieutenant General Rey Leonardo Guerrero as the next Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff.
Malacañang is yet to release the appointment paper but Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed Wednesday Guerrero's new position.
In an appointment letter dated October 25, Duterte informed Lorenzana that Guerrero would be replacing outgoing AFP chief-of-staff General Eduardo Año.
Guerrero's appointment was revealed a day before the AFP change of command rites that will be held at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Duterte said Guerrero's new position would be effective on October 26, the day Año's stint as military chief will end.
Guerrero, a member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1984, will serve as AFP chief-of-staff for only two months since he is set to retire in December this year when he reaches the mandatory age of 56.
Guerrero, as head of Eastmincom, has taken the lead to carry out military operations against the New People's Army (NPA).
He belongs to the Army Special Forces and was previously a member of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Presidential Security Group.
On the other hand, Duterte announced in May that Año, a member of the PMA Class of 1983, would be the next Local Government secretary.
The Department of Interior and Local Government is being headed by acting Secretary Catalino Cuy after Duterte sacked former Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueño, who was accused of being involved in corruption. (SunStar Philippines)