P-Noy OKs reshuffle of key military officers

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has approved a new wave of reassignments of 12 key military officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

AFP chief Gen. Jessie Dellosa said the leadership changes are needed to address the new challenges they are facing.

“We are always faced with new challenges every day and it is imperative that we put new and outstanding people to face these challenges,” Dellosa said in a statement.

“I am confident that the senior officers who were designated to new positions will give utmost importance to the accomplishment of their new missions,” he added.

Maj. Gen. Jorge Segovia will assume the chief position of the Davao City-based Eastern Mindanao Command and will succeed Lt. Gen. Arthur Tabaquero, who retires on April 17. 

Segovia is a graduate of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class ’80, which adopted the four sisters of President Aquino. He is also the outgoing commander of the Army’s 10th Division based in Davao.

Segovia was the chief of the Tanay-based 2nd Division when authorities arrested 43 heath workers, suspected to be communist rebels collectively known as the “Morong 43.”

Morong 43 members were nabbed in Rizal in 2010 for allegedly attending a seminar on bomb making and were freed last year after the Justice department claimed that the authorities had obtained the evidence through questionable means.

Succeeding Segovia as 10th Division chief is Brig. Gen. Ariel Bernardo, the current chairman of the government panel in the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH).

The CCCH is a peace mechanism between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Capt. Franco Sebastian, the outgoing deputy chief of the Cavite-based Fleet Marine Ready Force, has been named deputy commander of the AFP Southern Luzon Command based in Lucena City. 

Sebastian will replace Commodore Rosauro Gonzales Jr., who will bow out of the service on April 29.

Brig. Gen. Gerardo Layug, the former deputy chief of the Western Mindanao Command, has assumed as chief of the Army’s 8th Division based in Samar. Layug succeeded Maj. Gen. Mario Chan, who retired last April 8.

Commodore Roberto Santos has been named chief of the Naval Forces Central (NAVFORCEN) based in Cebu.

Prior to his appointment as NAVFORCEN chief, Santos was the assistant deputy chief of staff for education and training.

Succeeding Santos as assistant deputy chief of staff for education and training is Col. Teodorico Raqueno, the former chief of staff for the Army’s Communications Electronics and Information System.

Col. Arnulfo Marcos has assumed as the Assistant Division Commander of the Isabela-based 5th Infantry Division.

Marcos, the outgoing chief of the 502nd Brigade, has turned over his previous post to Col. Sanny Gadot, who led the 3rd Philippine Contingent to Golan Heights last year.

Col. Eusaquito Manalo, the former assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, has been designated commander of the Air Force’s 570th Composite Tactical Wing.

Manalo was succeeded by Col. Andre Tanyag as assistant deputy chief of staff for operations.

Col. Danilo Penafiel has been appointed commander of the Air Force’s 355th Air Education and Training Wing.

He used to be the deputy commander of the Air Education and Training Command, a post now being held by Col. Conrado Parra.