MANILA, Philippines – The chief of the miitary’s intelligence unit will soon lead the Philippine Army.

Malacañang announced that Major General Macairog Alberto has been chosen by President Rodrigo Duterte to become the next commanding general of the Philippine Army.

Alberto’s appointment paper was released to the Department of National Defense on Tuesday, October 11, according to the Office of the Executive Secretary.

He takes over the post of Lieutenant General Rolando Bautista who retires on October 15 and has been tapped by Duterte to be social welfare secretary.

Alberto is currently the chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), a position he earned after serving as commander of the Philippine Army’s 1001st Infantry Brigade based in Compostela Valley.

A bemedalled officer, Alberto had been at the helm to fight New People’s Army rebels in the Davao region. Like many of Duterte’s major appointees to key security positions, Alberto had once been commander of Task Force Davao.

Alberto is a 1986 graduate of the Philippine Military Academy.

Bautista will be turning over command of the army to Alberto in a ceremony on October 15 at Fort Bonifacio. – Rappler.com