Noy approves AFP reshuffle

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has approved the reshuffle of eight senior military officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The military units affected by the reorganization are the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and Army field units.

Maj. Gen. Nonato Alfredo Peralta Jr., PMA superintendent, has been appointed chief of the Army’s 2nd Division in Tanay, Rizal.

Lt. Gen. Irineo Espino, Inspector-General of the AFP, will succeed Peralta.

Brig. Gen. Eduardo Año was designated ISAFP chief, succeeding Maj. Gen. Caesar Ronnie Ordoyo, commander of the Maguindanao-based 6th Infantry Division.

Año, who served as assistant deputy chief of staff for intelligence, was credited for the capture of several leaders of the communist rebellion. He will assume post next week.

Succeeding Año as assistant deputy for intelligence is Brig. Gen. Virgilio Hernandez, assistant chief of ISAFP and a member of PMA Class ‘83.

The reshuffle also covered some field units of the Army.

Col. Felix Castro Jr. has been appointed assistant commander of the 9th Infantry Division based in Camarines Sur. He will succeed AFP deputy chief for operations Brig. Gen. Aurelio Baladad.

Col. Joselito Kakilala, the current chief of the AFP Task Force GenSan (General Santos), was designated chief of the Army’s 903rd Brigade.

Kakilala, who used to work for the AFP Civil Relations Service, is a member of PMA Class ‘84.

Col. Marcos Norman Flores Jr., current chief of AFP Task Force Davao, has been named chief of the 1002nd Brigade.

Col. Vicente Yordan has also assumed leadership of the 55th Engineer Brigade. A former chief engineer of the Army, Yordan is from PMA Class ‘82.

“Appointments in key positions in the AFP are very important in coping with the dynamics of our organization,” AFP chief Gen. Jessie Dellosa said in a statement. 

“We are confident that the newly appointed senior officers will be able to infuse new vigor and bring fresh ideas to their respective offices,” he said.