Aquino swaps posts of 2 3-star AFP generals ahead of elections

Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda assumes his post as the new AFP Vice Chief of Staff. He swaps his old position with Lt. Gen. Romeo Tanalgo, the new commanding general of the Northern Luzon Command. PHOTO FROM ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES

President Benigno Aquino III swapped the positions of two three-star military generals ahead of the upcoming elections.

Armed Forces of the Philippines Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Romeo Tanalgo exchanged his post with Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) chief Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda. Both are members of the ruling Philippine Military Academy “Matikas” Class of 1983.

BACKSTORY: Tanalgo is new AFP vice chief of staff as Bonafos retires

Miranda assumed his post Thursday morning and Tanalgo will take his new post in the afternoon, said AFP public affairs chief Col. Noel Detoyato. Aquino signed the orders this week.

READ: Major General Miranda is new Nolcom chief

Tanalgo, a Marine general, will take over the Army-dominated Nolcom. Based at Camp Aquino in Tarlac, he will oversee two Army Infantry Divisions in Isabela and Nueva Ecija, a naval base in La Union and an air base in Clark.

Detoyato said this is a non-issue. “Ayaw ko sanang banggitin pero meron talaga tayong maritime considerations d’yan, malaki and its emerging. ‘Yung maritime considerations natin, alam n’yo naman madaling i-preposition ang assets natin, napakaliit ng country natin, so ang dapat commandership ang unahin.”

(I did not want to disclose it, but there are really big and emerging maritime considerations in the movement. It is easy to preposition our assets, given our country is small, so we really need to prioritize commandership.)

Scarborough Shoal or Panatag Shoal off Zambales used to be under the jurisdiction of Nolcom. In 2014, the responsibility for the shoal was transferred to Western Command (Wescom) based in Palawan to place the external defense efforts under one commander. The Wescom holds the Philippine claims in the Spratlys in the West Philippine Sea.

“The situation is very fluid so we have to adjust accordingly,” Detoyato said.

He explained that there are certain objectives in reassignments of commanders— securing the sovereignty, defeating internal threats, contribution to regional and international peace and security and support to disaster risk reduction management.

“Rest assured that that these movements are in the best interest of the AFP,” he added.

Military movements in the key commands are seen with the vacancy of the No. 3 position or the deputy chief of staff as Lt. Gen Edgar Fallorina assumed as Air Force chief on Wednesday.

AFP chief Gen. Hernando Iriberri will retire on April 22 as he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56. It is not yet known if Aquino will extend him for the May elections. IDL