Gen. Generoso Senga, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), yesterday announced the appointments of five senior AFP officers to key positions in the military organization, led by Major Gen. Samuel Habacon who will be the new chief of the Southern Command (Southcom) – the AFP’s largest area command based in Mindanao.
In a press conference at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Senga said that he was authorized by President Arroyo, the AFP commander-in-chief, to announce the new appointments affecting sensitive positions in the military.
The Southcom, which is based in Zamboanga City, is considered a premier post in the military since about half of the 120,000strong military organization is deployed in the area. The Southcom is in the forefront of the government’s battle against Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) secessionists, the Abu Sayyaf, the New People’s Army (NPA), and remnants of the so-called Misuari Breakaway Faction.
Habacon will be retiring from the military service in September next year.
General Senga also announced the designation of Lt. Gen. Samuel Bagasin as the new chief of the AFP Central Command based in Cebu. Bagasin, former AFP deputy chief of staff, will assume the Centcom top post on Jan. 21 when Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Teodosio retires from the military service.
Major Gen. Christie Datu, vice commander of the Philippine Air Force, was named to succeed Bagasin for the position of AFP deputy chief of staff.
Rear Admiral Tirso Danga, now the AFP deputy chief of staff for intelligence, will be the new chief of the AFP Western Command (Wescom) based in Puerto Princesa City, with the retirement of Vice Admiral Ruben Domingo on Feb. 14.
Major Gen. Antonio Romero will be the new AFP vice chief of staff upon the retirement of Vice Admiral Ariston de los Reyes on Feb. 16.
Senga said that the new assignments for the top AFP positions were triggered by the retirement of other senior military officers from the service led by Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan. A member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1972, Adan is set to retire today from the military service upon reaching the age of 56.
The new Southcom chief, General Habacon, is a member of PMA Class 1973. He is a former chief of the First Infantry Division based in Pagadian City.
It may be recalled that Habacon was among the group of senior AFP officials whose names were dragged into the "Hello Garci" controversy for their alleged involvement in cheating during the May 2004 elections to ensure the victory of Mrs. Arroyo.
The allegation of the involvement of senior military officers in election cheating prompted the AFP leadership to form a fact-finding body but the panel has not issued any result of its investigation.
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