MAJ. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete has been designated as acting commander of the AFP Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) which is leading military operations against terrorists and other threat groups in the western part of Mindanao.
Nafarrete took over from now-retired Lt. Gen. William Gonzales during rites presided over by AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner at the Westmincom headquarters in Zamboanga City on Wednesday.
Nafarrete, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1990, will lead Westmincom in concurrent capacity as commander of the 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao del Norte.
“You act as if you are the commander already,” Brawner told Nafarrete during the change of command ceremony, implying that he has recommended to President Marcos Jr the designation of Nafarrete as full-time Westmincom commander.
Brawner said Nafarrete has big shoes to fill as his predecessor has “remarkable achievements.”
Brawner ordered Westmincom to “finish with finality” the problems with communist and local terrorist groups in his jurisdiction.
“But more than that, it is also important that you continue your shift to territorial defense. And you have all of us as partners in that endeavor,” he said.
Brawner urged Westmincom personnel to give Nafarrete the same support they have given to Gonzales.
Brawner paid tribute to Gonzales, his classmate at the PMA Class of 1989, who he said made significant contributions to peace and order in western Mindanao.
“To my mistah (classmate) William Gonzales, you made your family proud … you have made our class, the PMA Makatao Class of 1989, proud … You have made the AFP proud and you have made our country proud,” he said.
