President Rodrigo Duterte has chosen Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay as the next chairman of joint chiefs (formerly called chief of staff) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Malacañang announced on Wednesday.
In a statement, Palace spokesman Harry Roque said Gapay’s appointment would take effect on Aug. 3.
“We expect General Gapay to continue the reform initiatives of modernizing and professionalizing the armed forces while protecting our people and securing the state,” he said.
Gapay will succeed Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. who will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Aug. 4.
Gapay, the 54th army chief, was valedictorian of the Philippine Military Academy “Sinagtala” Class of 1986.
Gapay was deputy commander of the AFP Eastern Mindanao Command, commander of the Joint Task Force Haribon that secured Davao City and the rest of Davao Region during the 2016 Davao City bombing, and spokesman for the martial law implementation in Mindanao. John Ezekiel J. Hirro