AFP second man retires

Lieutenant General Reynaldo Mapagu. Photo Courtesy of AFP public affairs

MANILA, Philippines—The military’s second man and former Army chief  bowed out of service in a ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo Friday, three days ahead of his mandatory retirement next week.

A division-size parading troops or about 1,000 soldiers will participate in ceremonies for Armed Forces of the Philippines Vice Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Reynaldo Mapagu, said AFP spokesman Colonel Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr.

Mapagu, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1978, served as the vice chief of the military since August 2010.

He was appointed by former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to lead the 79,000-strong Philippine Army on March 2010 but was later re-assigned as vice chief by President Benigno Aquino III.

The seasoned combat officer also headed the elite unit of First Scout Ranger Regiment from 2006 to 2008. Later on, he led the Army’s 10th Infantry Division in Davao and the now defunct National Capital Region Command.

“Lieutenant General Mapagu is a true gentleman who saw excellence in the face of challenges that confronted the AFP the past several years. His professionalism and focus in contributing for the implementation of reforms were instrumental in ensuring that the military organization he holds dearly continue to enjoy the trust and confidence of the Filipino people,” AFP Chief General Jessie Dellosa said.

As the next AFP Vice Chief has yet to be named by the Palace, Lieutenant General Noel Coballes, Western Mindanao Command chief, will hold the position in an acting capacity.