Rear Adm. Miguel Jose Rodriguez. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – The deputy chief of staff for civil military operations at Camp Aguinaldo will step down from his post Wednesday, a month earlier than his scheduled retirement.
“Rear Admiral Miguel Jose Rodriguez will retire early for personal reasons, so he can take care of his family and also to give way to a smooth transition to the new leadership,” military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala told reporters.
Rodriguez’ retirement was originally scheduled for September 28.
He will be replaced by Brigadier General Lysander Suerte, the deputy commander of Armed Forces Central Command based in Cebu.
A simple turnover ceremony will be held at Camp Aguinaldo instead of the usual testimonial parade given to retiring officers.
“Rodriguez opted to give whatever budget for the parade to his successor,” Zagala said, but could not immediately determine how much would be actually saved.
The retiring general was once embroiled in a corruption case, after an Army major allegedly falsified his signature and pocketed P1.4 million worth of military funds.
Rodriguez, who was then the concurrent military spokesman, took a leave during the investigation.
The general was later cleared of the charges, while the Army major remained at large and had gone absent without leave up to present.
Next chief of Presidential Security Group
Meanwhile, three senior officers are being considered to replace Brigadier Ramon General Mateo Dizon, the chief of Presidential Security Group who is retiring on August 31.
A military source identified the three officers as Navy Captain Raul Ubando, Col. David Diciano, Col. Jose Caparas Jr. All are assigned with the PSG.
Ubando and Diciano are members of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1985 and Caparas is from PMA 1987.
President Benigno Aquino III has yet to name the successor of Dizon in the coming days.
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