LIEUTENANT General Eduardo Año has been appointed as the new chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Año replaced General Ricardo Visaya at the AFP's change of command ceremony held in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City at around 2 pm, Wednesday.
Año will only serve as the AFP chief for 10 months as he is set to retire on October 26, 2017.
A member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983, Año is currently the Commanding General of the Philippine Army.
Prior to his appointment as Commanding General, Año was the chief of the Army's 10th Infantry Division.
Año, as former head of the 10th Infantry Division, had led the operation that killed New People's Army commander Leoncio Pitao.
Año also served as head of AFP's Intelligence Service when top communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon were arrested in March 2014.
Duterte tells Visaya: ‘Choose your position’
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday told Visaya to pick a position from his Cabinet.
Before ending his speech at the Visaya’s retirement ceremony at the Camp Aguinaldo, Duterte said Visaya may ask Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to overtake his current Cabinet post.
“General Visaya, choose a post there [in the Cabinet]. Choose your position. That is how grateful the nation is to you,” the President said.
“You choose there. If you want, you may talk to Delfin [Lorenzana and ask him you’re interested to be a Defense Secretary],” he added.
Visaya has already reached the retirement age of 56. (Sunnex)
