The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced on Wednesday the initial batch of senior military officers designated to key positions in the military’s first major revamp.

Among the posts that will have a new chief will be the AFP’s Intelligence Service, that will be occupied by a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1979.

Gen. Jose Mabanta, AFP spokesman, stressed that the military revamp was done following the retirement of the top three officials of the Armed Forces last month.

The announcement also came after AFP senior officer, Maj. Gen. Antonio L. Bautista, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Reservist and Retiree Affairs (AJ9) of the armed forces, retired after 39 years of service.

He will be replaced by Col. Danilo Fabian, Brigade Commander of the 401st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, in an acting capacity.

In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, AFP officials explained the offices vacated by the retired officers have since been filled up in an acting capacity because of the appointment ban during the election period.

But with the designation of the new Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Ricardo David by the Commander-in-Chief of the AFP, President Aquino and the lifting of the appointment ban, vacated top leadership positions can now be filled up permanently.

At a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, the AFP announced the following senior officers and their reassignments to the respective units have been approved by the President with military orders issued effective July 1: Maj. Gen. Gaudencio

Pangilinan Jr., current Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, J3 will be the Commander of the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom). He will be succeeded as J3 by Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, the present AFP Internal Auditor.

The Chief of the Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP) will be assumed by Brig. Gen. Romeo Bambao, from being the Deputy Commander of the Special Operations Command.

Mabanta, on the other hand, will succeed Brig. Gen. Francisco Cruz at the Civil Relations Service (CRS).

Pangilinan, the incoming Nolcom commander, also handled positions such as CRS chief and as the Commandant of the Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC). He is a graduate of Master of Arts in Strategic Studies at the US Army  War College and holds a Masters Degree in Public Management. He is also a graduate of the Management Development Program of the Asian Institute of Management. He is a protype army development against terrorism in an urban setting as Commander, Task Force Davao which made Davao as one of the most livable cities of Asia.

Bautista, the incoming Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, J3, also served previously as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, J5; and Commander of the 702nd Infantry Brigade, 7th Infantry Division. He also served as Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of National Defense. He is a graduate of military schoolings here and abroad, and holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines.

Bambao, the new Chief of the Intelligence Services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1979. He held various positions in the AFP throughout his career in the military including Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Special Operations Command.

He was also the Battalion Commander of the 16th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division.