Air Force chief retires; OIC named

Lt. Gen. Nestor Santillan retired yesterday as the 27th commanding general of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), and was replaced by an acting chief vice commander Maj. Gen. Arcadio Seron.

The turnover ceremony, witnessed by Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita and PAF personnel, was held at the PAF headquarters at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

Among the highlights of Santillan’s 20-month incumbency was the rehabilitation of an "unprecedented number" of old aircraft.

Under its Aircraft Recovery Program, the PAF was able to salvage 32 aircraft of various types, of which eight were returned to service recently.

In his speech, Santillan, who took over the PAF in September 2002, noted that with the recovered aircraft the PAF managed to log a total of 13,640 flying hours in 13,006 sorties against insurgents and other enemies of the state.

The PAF also logged 8,009 flying hours for internal security operations, which he said was 170 percent of its target.

Seron became PAF vice commander in November 2003.

A native of Talisay, Cebu, Seron was a former chemical engineering student of the University of San Carlos before he joined the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

Before his assumption as vice commander, Seron was commandant of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Joint Command and Staff College. He was also commander of the Air Education and Training Command; officer in charge, deputy commander and later vice commander of the Tactical Operations Command; and deputy wing commander of the 570th Composite Tactical Wing.

He also held positions at the PAF as executive officer for personnel, acting director for international affairs and acting director for plans and programs.