53rd AFP Chief of Staff officially assumes post
Published Jan 4, 2020 12:00 am
By Martin SadongdongÂ
Lieutenant General Felimon Santos Jr., erstwhile commander of the military's Davao City-based Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom), officially assumed his post as the 53rd Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Saturday afternoon.
Lt. Gen. Â Felimon Santos Jr. (C) (MARTIN SADONGDONG / MANILA BULLETIN)
The seventh military chief to be appointed by President Duterte, Santos takes over the command of the 190,000-strong military from General Noel Clement.
Clement served as AFP Chief of Staff for 102 days or from September 24, 2019 to January 4, 2020 -- the shortest period among the military chiefs appointed by President Duterte since 2016. He retired from the service on Sunday upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 for the military.
President Duterte presided the joint turnover of command and retirement ceremonies at Camp Aguinaldo and expressed confidence that Santos will continue the plans and programs of the AFP.
He also thanked Clement for his stint as CSAFP.
Meanwhile, Santos, in his speech, enjoined all the military officers, enlisted personnel and civilian human resources to remain faithful in their duty to serve the country and the Filipino people.
"As I take on the responsibility of the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, I invite and encourage all the officers, enlisted personnel and civilian human resources to stay on the course, remain professional in the conduct of our duty, abide by our mandate, remain dedicated on the fulfillment of our mission objectives and strive to render objective and compassionate service to our people and country," Santos said.
Citing his efforts as the military commander in Eastern Mindanao, Santos committed to continue the AFP's relentless fight against the five-decade long communist insurgency in the country.
"Ang unang plano natin is to continue our campaign plan,that is to end local armed conflict. Iyan pa rin ang aking focus (The first plan is to continue our campaign plan, that is to end local armed conflict. That's my focus)," he told reporters after the ceremony.
He expressed confidence that insurgency will be finished "before the term of President Duterte." Duterte's term ends in 2022.
Santos also noted that the military will sustain, if not intensify, its efforts to thwart terrorism.
He also pledged support to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police (PNP) and other concerned law enforcement and government agencies in the conduct of the war on drugs.
Santos is a member of the Philippine Military Academy "Sinagtala" Class of 1986. He spent his junior years with the 39th Infantry Battalion, a unit deployed in various provinces in Mindanao.
A military dossier described Santos as "adept in a wide range of peace and security programs not only in Mindanao but in the whole country."
In the circle of military officers, he is a known intelligence officer, even heading the 11th Intelligence Service Unit based in the hometown of Duterte in Davao City before he became the group commander of the Philippine Army's Intelligence Service Group.
Meanwhile, Clement capped almost 38 years of military career. He is a member of the PMA Sandiwa Class of 1985.
Lt. Gen. Â Felimon Santos Jr. (C) (MARTIN SADONGDONG / MANILA BULLETIN)
The seventh military chief to be appointed by President Duterte, Santos takes over the command of the 190,000-strong military from General Noel Clement.
Clement served as AFP Chief of Staff for 102 days or from September 24, 2019 to January 4, 2020 -- the shortest period among the military chiefs appointed by President Duterte since 2016. He retired from the service on Sunday upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 for the military.
President Duterte presided the joint turnover of command and retirement ceremonies at Camp Aguinaldo and expressed confidence that Santos will continue the plans and programs of the AFP.
He also thanked Clement for his stint as CSAFP.
Meanwhile, Santos, in his speech, enjoined all the military officers, enlisted personnel and civilian human resources to remain faithful in their duty to serve the country and the Filipino people.
"As I take on the responsibility of the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, I invite and encourage all the officers, enlisted personnel and civilian human resources to stay on the course, remain professional in the conduct of our duty, abide by our mandate, remain dedicated on the fulfillment of our mission objectives and strive to render objective and compassionate service to our people and country," Santos said.
Citing his efforts as the military commander in Eastern Mindanao, Santos committed to continue the AFP's relentless fight against the five-decade long communist insurgency in the country.
"Ang unang plano natin is to continue our campaign plan,that is to end local armed conflict. Iyan pa rin ang aking focus (The first plan is to continue our campaign plan, that is to end local armed conflict. That's my focus)," he told reporters after the ceremony.
He expressed confidence that insurgency will be finished "before the term of President Duterte." Duterte's term ends in 2022.
Santos also noted that the military will sustain, if not intensify, its efforts to thwart terrorism.
He also pledged support to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police (PNP) and other concerned law enforcement and government agencies in the conduct of the war on drugs.
Santos is a member of the Philippine Military Academy "Sinagtala" Class of 1986. He spent his junior years with the 39th Infantry Battalion, a unit deployed in various provinces in Mindanao.
A military dossier described Santos as "adept in a wide range of peace and security programs not only in Mindanao but in the whole country."
In the circle of military officers, he is a known intelligence officer, even heading the 11th Intelligence Service Unit based in the hometown of Duterte in Davao City before he became the group commander of the Philippine Army's Intelligence Service Group.
Meanwhile, Clement capped almost 38 years of military career. He is a member of the PMA Sandiwa Class of 1985.