Marcos accepts Eduardo Año’s resignation as national security adviser

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has accepted the resignation of National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, who said he stepped down due to health reasons.

He will be replaced by former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Eduardo Oban Jr. 

READ: Año going after ‘bagmen’

Año submitted his courtesy resignation in May 2025 in compliance with Marcos’ order to all Cabinet secretaries as part of his administration’s recalibration.

“The president has accepted the resignation of National Security Adviser Eduardo Año. Secretary Año has decided to retire from public service after decades of continuous service in government and the military,” said Palace press officer Claire Castro at a briefing.

She also said, “We thank Secretary Año for his dedicated and distinguished service to the Filipino people. As national security adviser, he played a key role in strengthening our national security framework, advancing our counterterrorism and internal security efforts, and ensuring close coordination across the security sector during a period of evolving regional and global challenges. His leadership has helped maintain stability and protect the welfare of our citizens.”

Oban — another Eduardo set to lead the National Security Council — has “extensive experience in military operations, defense planning, and national security,” having also served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans (J5) and head of the Visiting Forces Agreement Commission.

“With his depth of experience, the president is confident that Secretary Oban will provide steady and capable leadership in advancing the country’s national security priorities and ensuring continuity in the government’s efforts to keep the nation safe and secure,” Castro said.

Health reasons

Año said he is stepping down permanently as national security adviser and director general of the National Security Council, ending a decades-long career in public service.

“It has become necessary for me to prioritize my health and well-being,” Año said in a statement.

He added that he had decided to step aside to ensure “continuity and stability” in national security operations.

Año served as chief of staff of the AFP and as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. He was appointed national security adviser during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte and continued to serve under Marcos.

Año also said an orderly transition is underway and expressed confidence in his successor Oban, whom he described as capable of sustaining ongoing national security initiatives.

He thanked Marcos for the trust and expressed gratitude to security institutions, including the AFP, Philippine National Police, and Philippine Coast Guard, as well as inter-agency bodies involved in internal security, intelligence coordination, and maritime operations in the West Philippine Sea. /das