AFP vice chief of staff, Navy chief get CA nod

Camp Aguinaldo, General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. (Photo from Radyo Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmed the appointments of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Arthur Cordura and Philippine Navy Flag Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Adaci Toribio Jr. on Tuesday. 

 Adaci was among the officers who faced the CA in the appointment deliberations. Meanwhile, Cordura submitted a waiver of personal appearance since he is in Switzerland until May 19 for the first United Nations Triangular Partnership Programme Stakeholders Workshop.  

Also not present in the CA hearing were Major General Aristotle Gonzalez and Major General Leonel Nicolas. Gonzalez is on leave until June 4 to attend his daughter’s college graduation, while Nicolas is confined in the hospital after having undergone a medical procedure. 

During the CA national defense panel deliberations, AFP Visayas Command chief Lieutenant General Benedict Arevalo was put on the hot seat for a 2021 red-tagging controversy in which he had been involved in. 

Arevalo, who was then relieved of his duties as Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations, owned up to his mistake and said a public apology has since been posted following the incident. 

The CA committee recommended to the plenary the confirmation of his appointment, along with the new designations of the other AFP generals and officers. The powerful congressional body later confirmed their appointments. 

The following are the other CA-confirmed AFP officers and their respective ranks: 

• Efren Baluyot – Lieutenant General 
• Stephen Parreño – Lieutenant General 
• Roy Galido – Lieutenant General 
• Fernyl Buca – Lieutenant General 
• Antonio Navarrete – Major General
• Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta – Rear Admiral 
• Joseph Ferrous Cuison – Major General
• Edgar Cardinoza – Major General
• Audrey Pasia – Major General
• Jose Maria Cuerpo II – Major General
• Marvin Licudine – Major General
• Arturo Rojas – Major General
• George Blanco – Major General
• Facundo Palafox IV – Major General
• Potenciano Camba – Major General
• Noel Beleran – Major General
• Teofilo Bailon Jr. – Major General
• Joel Alejandro Nacnac – Major General
• Mac Raul Racacho – Major General
• Ronie Petinglay – Brigadier General 
• Reynold Rueca – Brigadier General 
• Perfecto Peñaredondo – Brigadier General 
• Oriel Pangcog – Brigadier General 
• Alan Javier – Commodore 
• Gerold Gagan – Brigadier General 
• Rommel Almaria – Brigadier General 
• Alexei Musñgi – Brigadier General 
• Edmundo Peralta – Brigadier General 
• Rommel Cordova – Brigadier General 
• Edgar Torres – Brigadier General 
• Nestor Narag Jr. – Brigadier General 
• Joel Paloma – Brigadier General 
• Noel Vestuir – Brigadier General 
• Ramil Oloroso – Brigadier General 
• Francis Anthony Coronel – Brigadier General 
• Leo Fontanilla – Brigadier General 
• Leodigrario Macalintal – Brigadier General 
• Michael Santos – Brigadier General 
• Ferdinand Napuli – Brigadier General 
• Leodevic Guinid – Brigadier General 
• Bernardo Fortez Jr. – Brigadier General 
• Marcos Imperio – Commodore 
• Federico Enriques – Brigadier General 
• Rolando Sarmiento – Commodore 
• Eric Garchitorena – Brigadier General 

The CA had also confirmed the appointment of former Valenzuela City 1st District Rep. Rex Gatchalian as Social Welfare and Development Secretary.

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