Search for next Army chief is on

The Armed Forces has begun the process of selecting a new officer to lead the Army as the current Army commanding general, Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz, is set to retire next month.

A proposed law that would require that major service commanders have at least two years remaining in the service at the time of their appointment will not affect the selection process, officials said.

At present, the heads of the Army, Navy and the Air Force are required to have at least one year left in the service before they are appointed.

The same requirement does not apply to the AFP chief of staff, however.

“The selection process is ongoing. This will go through the established system of nominating candidates,” said AFP public information chief Colonel Arnulfo Burgos Jr.

He said all three-star ranked generals are candidates to succeed Ortiz.  Dona Z. Pazzibugan