Duterte appoints general about to retire as next AFP chief

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte appointed as new chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) a general with only two months left in the service.

He picked Army Lieutenant General Rey Leonardo Guerrero to replace General Eduardo Año who is retiring on Thursday, October 26.

Guerrero is the commanding general of military forces based in the home region of the President, the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom). He is scheduled to retire in December.

Guerrero was widely believed to have been Duterte’s pick to replace former AFP chief Ricardo Visaya, who retired last year. But seniority prevailed and Año got the appointment. 

Guerrero was again rumored to take the helm of the AFP last June when Año was supposed to retire early to head the Department of the Interior and Local Government. 

But war erupted in Marawi City and Año stayed in his post.

There has been talks Guerrero’s term would be extended beyond his scheduled retirement in December. 

In his younger years in the Army, Guerrero also got his brigade command in Davao Oriental. A Special Forces officer, he was assigned to the Presidential Security Group under former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. – Rappler.com