PRESIDENT Duterte has appointed three more senior military officials to higher positions in the Armed Forces, including Maj. Gen. Nestor Herico, who is assuming command of the battle-tested Philippine Marine Corps.
Herico, the current Navy vice commander, is due to assume his new post as Marine commandant on February 21 upon the retirement of current Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Ariel Caculitan.
Herico, a member of the Philippine Military Academy class of 1988, took over the No. 2 post in the Philippine Navy in June last year. Before that, he was the Navy’s Inspector General. He had also served as executive officer at the office of the AFP deputy chief of staff for intelligence.
Herico also once commanded the 3rd Marine Brigade and Joint Task Force Peacock in Palawan, which are instrumental in safeguarding vital installations in the province.
The two other officers promoted to higher positions were Navy Inspector General Rear Adm. Rommel Anthony Reyes and 11th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, both members of the PMA class 1989.
Reyes will take over the AFP’s No. 3 post as AFP deputy chief of staff on February 25 when Vice Adm. Erick Kagaoan reaches the retirement age of 56.
Reyes previously headed the AFP’s Communication Electronics and Information Systems Service.
Gonzales, meanwhile, will take over as the AFP inspector general.
Before assuming the post as 11th Infantry Division commander in August 2020, Gonzales was the commander of the elite First Scout Ranger Regiment of the Army. He will take the helm of the office of the AFP inspector general from acting AFP inspector general Brig. Gen Joseph Ferrous Cuison.
Cuison has been serving as the acting AFP Inspector General in concurrent capacity as AFP deputy Inspector General since December 8 last year when AFP Inspector General Lt. Gen. Franco Nemesio Gacal retired.
Last Tuesday, officials confirmed Duterte’s appointment of 10th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Ernesto Torres and Navy-Philippine Fleet commander Rear Adm. Alberto Carlos, also members of the PMA 1989, as commander of the AFP Northern Luzon Command and AFP Western Command, respectively.
Yesterday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana welcomed the appointment of the officials.
“As these gentlemen assume their new roles in the organization, I am confident that they will rise to the occasion and effectively lead our troops in securing our nation and our people,” Lorenzana said.
AFP spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala said the designation of the five officials to key positions were recommended by the AFP Board of Generals, headed by AFP chief Gen. Andres Centino, and approved by the President.
“These appointments speak of the integrity of the selection system of the AFP, given the outstanding performance and extensive experience of these officers that made them earn the trust of the AFP Board of Generals and the approval of the President to perform the duties and responsibilities entailed in the new positions given them,” said Zagala.
