Yano named next Army chief

President Arroyo has named Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano as the next Army chief, replacing Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino who will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Friday, the Department of National Defense (DND) said yesterday.

Yano, Southern Luzon Command chief, will be the 49th commanding general of the 80,000- strong Army, the largest branch of service of the Armed Forces.

In a telephone interview, Yano said he is grateful for the trust and confidence given to him by the President and commander-in-chief.

“I would really need the support of the
people,” he said. “We will see to it that our fighting troops are well equipped and properly trained for them to be effective in carrying out their mission.”

Before his assignment as Solcom chief, the 54-year-old Yano was the commander of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division.

He also served as Army chief of staff when Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. was Army commander.

Yano belongs to Philippine Military Academy Class of 1976.

In a statement, the DND said Mrs. Arroyo has named Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Obaniana, Eastern Mindanao Command chief, to replace Yano as Solcom commander.

Replacing Obaniana is Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna, Central Command chief.

Luna in turn will be replaced by Maj. Gen. Victor Ibrado, Army Special Operations Command chief, which has jurisdiction over the Scout Rangers, Special Forces and the US-trained anti-terror Light Reaction Battalion.

Maj. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, National Capital Region Command chief, and a member of the government negotiating panel with the Moro National Liberation Front, was named by Mrs. Arroyo Marine Corps commandant.

Marine Commandant Maj. Gen. Nelson Allaga will take over as Western Mindanao Command, chief from Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, who is retiring on Sept. 6.

Replacing Dolorfino at the NCRCOM is Maj. Gen. Fernando Mesa, Army 2nd Infantry Division commander based in Tanay, Rizal.

The new appointments were approved by Mrs. Arroyo upon the recommendation of the AFP Board of Generals.