Kris Aquino’s ex- close in security named new Air Force chief

Major General Jeffrey Delgado. PHOTO FROM AFP

MANILA, Philippines–Major General Jeffrey Delgado, once Kris Aquino’s close in security and President Benigno Aquino III’s senior military assistant, has been named as the next Air Force chief.

He will replace Lieutenant General Lauro Catalino dela Cruz who will leave the military service on Friday at a turnover ceremony at Fernando Air Base in Lipa, Batangas.

“The [Armed Forces of the Philippines] welcomes the appointment of [Delgado] as the new Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force. MGen Delgado is an experienced pilot, who flew MG520s and T28 Trojan, in close air support operations,” military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala said in a statement.

Delgado, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1982, served the Presidential Security Group during the time of President Corazon Aquino, mother of the incumbent president. He was a close-in security aide of then presidential daughter Kris.

He also had a stint as Senior Military Assistant to Benigno when the latter assumed as President.

Air Force spokesperson Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol said in a statement that the next Air Force chief is expected to continue to modernization and transformation efforts of dela Cruz.

Delgado will lead the 20,000-strong Air Force towards the emerging national security and defense need for territorial defense.

Prior to his appointment as the next Air Force’s top gun, Delgado served as deputy chief of staff for Plans (J5) at Camp Aguinaldo.

Aside from the President who will lead the ceremony, the turnover will be attended by Vice President Jejomar Binay, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP chief General Emmanuel Bautista, Army chief Lieutenant General

Hernando Iriberri, Navy chief Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano and other top military commanders.

Delgado’s closest rival for the post was Lieutenant General Virgilio Domingo, the AFP deputy chief of staff.