President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. has designated Carlito Galvez Jr., the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, to serve as Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND).
This came after the President accepted the resignation of DND Officer-in-Charge Jose Faustino, Jr., according to Presidential Communications Office Officer-in-Charge Cheloy Garafil.
She issued the following statement: "it is with deep regret that the President has accepted" Faustino's resignation.
"The President has offered the position of DND Secretary to Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. and he has accepted," Garafil added.
Galvez's appointment is subject to confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.
He also served as the overall coordinator of the government's Covid-19 vaccination campaign in the Duterte administration from 2020 to 2022.
Developments in the DND came at a time rumors of destabilization at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sparked following the return of Gen. Andres Centino as the country's military chief of staff—which both the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) denied.
Despite this, the Philippine Army (PA), the Philippine Navy (PN), and the Philippine Air Force (PAF) expressed solidarity with Centino as they vowed to remain a professional organization amid the change of leadership that saw Medal of Valor awardee, Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, being replaced at the top AFP post after serving for a brief five months.