PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has picked Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez Jr. as replacement of outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff General Rey Leonardo Guerrero.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. made the announcement in an interview with Palace reporters on Thursday, April 5, briefly after the President hinted that he had already named the new AFP chief.
"The President appointed or will appoint Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez as chief-of-staff ng (of) Armed Forces of the Philippines," he said.
Speaking before his audience at Palace's Rizal Hall, the President said he had a new AFP chief-of-staff in mind, but stressed that he was "not at liberty at this time to make the announcement."
Roque's announcement came 20 days before Guerrero ends his term.
But at the same speech, Duterte announced that appointment of National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde as the next Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.
Galvez's predecessor, Guerrero, initially reached the age of compulsory retirement on December 2017, but Duterte extended his military service until April 24 this year.
Galvez is a member of the Philippine Military Academy "Sandiwa" Class of 1985.
The newly-appointed military chief was a former deputy commander for Peace Process of the Wesmincom. He also served as commander of the Army's 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao.
Roque said Galvez is expected to assume the new post on April 18, or six days ahead of Guerrero's schedule retirement on April 24.
"The oath taking of new AFP Chief of Staff and new PNP Director-General will be on April 18, 2018," the presidential spokesman said. (SunStar Philippines)