GAPAY, ARMY CHIEF, IS NEW AFP CHIEF OF STAFF

On Jul 30, 2020

Lt. General Gilbert I. Gapay, the incoming Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (photo credit: CNN Philippines)

PRESIDENT Duterte has appointed Philippine Army Commanding General, Lt. General Gilbert I. Gapay, as the new Chief of Staff of the 125,000-strong, Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The class valedictorian of the ‘Sinagtala’ Class of 1986 of the Philippine Military Academy, Gapay takes over the crucial post from Gen. Filemon Santos, Jr., who would reach his mandatory retirement age of 56 on August 4, 2020.

Prior to assuming the top Army post, Gapay had extensive service in Mindanao, having served as deputy commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command, commander, Joint Task Force Haribon and military spokesman in 2018 on the implementation of martial law in Mindanao.

Another Mindanao veteran, Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief, Lt. General Cirilito Sobejana, would take the place of Gapay.

Sobejana is among the few living recipients of the military’s highest medal for gallantry, the ‘Medal of Valor.’

It is not clear yet if Pres. Duterte would be presiding the turnover of command ceremony between Santos and Gapay, in view of the present situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The turnover of command of the country’s highest military post is traditionally presided by the Philippine President.