By Francis Wakefield
Former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Spokesman and Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, J5, Major General Restituto Padilla Jr. bid farewell to the military profession in a ceremony held Tuesday, February 12 at the General Headquarters Building in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
AFP Chief of Staff General Benjamin Madrigal, Jr. presided over the retirement ceremony in honor of Major General Padilla who will officially retire on his birthday this Thursday, February 14, 2019.
Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr.
(Credit: PIA-NCR via Twitter / MANILA BULLETIN) “Major General Padilla has proven himself to be an accomplished military-diplomat and strategic thinker. As chief planner and strategist, he led the office in different endeavors towards the attainment of the AFP’s objective through the sound implementation of its mission and programs,” Madrigal said. Padilla held the position for almost one year and six months from September 2017. During his stint, he supervised the AFP’s international affairs in various bilateral engagements with allied nations as well as the approval of the Standard Operating Procedure on the General Policies and Guidelines in the Conduct of AFP International Defense and Security Engagements (IDSE). He also led the formulation of the complete 15-year Revised AFP Modernization program that will allow the implementation and continuous support to the modernization of the Armed Forces. Moreover, he facilitated the activation of the AFP Systems Engineering Office (AFPSEO) and the AFP International Military Affairs Center (AFP IMAC) to rationalize the Defense and Armed Forces Attaché postings and other IDSE commitments. Prior to holding the position of J5, Padilla was the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations, J7, and concurrent AFP Spokesperson since November 2014. He was also the former AFP Liaison Officer to the U.S. Pacific Command in Honolulu, Hawaii from 2011 to 2014. His military career began when he entered the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1981, later graduating with the PMA “Sandiwa” Class of 1985. Following graduation from the Academy, he joined the Philippine Air Force and earned his Aviator (Pilot) Wings from the Philippine Air Force Flying School in 1987. Meanwhile, Brigadier General Cornelio Valencia Jr., the current Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, AJ5 will assume Padilla’s position in an acting capacity. He was previously assigned as the Philippine Army’s Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, G5. “Having been assigned to various leadership and staff positions in the Army, I can personally vouch that Brigadier General Valencia Jr embodies the values and the character that will fit well for the post,” Madrigal said. (Francis T. Wakefield)
Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr.(Credit: PIA-NCR via Twitter / MANILA BULLETIN) “Major General Padilla has proven himself to be an accomplished military-diplomat and strategic thinker. As chief planner and strategist, he led the office in different endeavors towards the attainment of the AFP’s objective through the sound implementation of its mission and programs,” Madrigal said. Padilla held the position for almost one year and six months from September 2017. During his stint, he supervised the AFP’s international affairs in various bilateral engagements with allied nations as well as the approval of the Standard Operating Procedure on the General Policies and Guidelines in the Conduct of AFP International Defense and Security Engagements (IDSE). He also led the formulation of the complete 15-year Revised AFP Modernization program that will allow the implementation and continuous support to the modernization of the Armed Forces. Moreover, he facilitated the activation of the AFP Systems Engineering Office (AFPSEO) and the AFP International Military Affairs Center (AFP IMAC) to rationalize the Defense and Armed Forces Attaché postings and other IDSE commitments. Prior to holding the position of J5, Padilla was the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations, J7, and concurrent AFP Spokesperson since November 2014. He was also the former AFP Liaison Officer to the U.S. Pacific Command in Honolulu, Hawaii from 2011 to 2014. His military career began when he entered the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1981, later graduating with the PMA “Sandiwa” Class of 1985. Following graduation from the Academy, he joined the Philippine Air Force and earned his Aviator (Pilot) Wings from the Philippine Air Force Flying School in 1987. Meanwhile, Brigadier General Cornelio Valencia Jr., the current Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, AJ5 will assume Padilla’s position in an acting capacity. He was previously assigned as the Philippine Army’s Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, G5. “Having been assigned to various leadership and staff positions in the Army, I can personally vouch that Brigadier General Valencia Jr embodies the values and the character that will fit well for the post,” Madrigal said. (Francis T. Wakefield)