Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City
January 4, 2020
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte appointed Lieutenant General Felimon Santos, Jr. as the 53rd Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a Change of Command Ceremony at the Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Lieutenant General Santos replaced outgoing CSAFP General Noel Clement at the top post in the Armed Forces. In his retirement ceremony, General Clement received the Philippine Legion of Honor with the degree of Chief Commander from President Duterte, where he described his leadership as ‘principled and irreproachable in fighting insurgency and securing sovereignty.’
Likewise, the Commander-in-Chief affirmed his confidence in the AFP towards achieving more milestones in its campaign to protect the freedom and democratic values of the country under the leadership of Lieutenant General Santos. He called on the soldiers to work in unison with their new leader in protecting the country against lawlessness and terrorism.
“May this momentous occasion renew your commitment to defend our homeland from lingering and emerging security threats as you uphold the safety of our families and communities,” President Duterte said.
Before his stint as the new AFP Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Santos served as the Head of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EASTMINCOM) in Panacan, Davao City. He is a product of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Sinagtala Class of 1986. During his years of service, he is mostly involved in the intelligence and civil military operations of the Armed Forces.
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