President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has appointed new chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
In a text message to reporters this Monday, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles confirmed the appointment of:
Lieutenant General Bartolome Vicente O. Bacarro, as AFP chief of staff;
Police Lieutenant General Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. as PNP chief;
and Medardo de Lemos as NBI director.
According to Angeles, the transfer of power or change-of-command in the AFP was set for August 8 to give Bacarro time to leave his current position at the Southern Luzon Command and to transition to his new role at Camp Aguinaldo. ”
Bacarro is the first AFP chief to have a fixed three-year term based on the new AFP leadership law.
Under Republic Act 11709, aside from the AFP chief of staff, the terms of the vice chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, major service commanders (Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy), unified command commanders are also fixed for three years. , and inspector general, “unless sooner terminated by the President.”
Bacarro received the Medal of Valor award in December 1991 for his bravery after a 10-hour battle with communist rebels in Maconacon, Isabela.
Marcos appoints new heads of the AFP, PNP, and NBI
Bacarro is part of the Philippine Military Academy “Maringal” Class of 1988.
Among his previous positions in the 5th Infantry Division are platoon leader, company commander, administrative officer, intelligence officer, operations officer, civil-military operations office, and secretary to the general staff.
Department of National Defense officer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr. welcomed. the appointment of Bacarro as AFP chief.
“Lieutenant General Bacarro’s appointment as Chief of Staff bodes well for the AFP as he will be given a longer period to implement reforms and institutionalizes policies that will redound to the benefit of the organization,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the new police chief, Azurin, the current regional director of Police Regional Office 1, is part of the PMA “Makatao” Class of 1989.
Some of the positions he held were Directorate for Comptrollership (DC), Directorate for Information, Communication Technology Management (DICTM) at Camp Crame, and chief of the Maritime Group.
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