By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Malacañang said Monday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to choose the next leader of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as the retirement of AFP Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr. approaches later this month.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the President is still assessing possible candidates and has not finalized a shortlist for the military’s highest position.
She stressed that the administration is looking beyond rank and seniority, saying the next AFP chief must possess unquestionable integrity, loyalty to the Constitution, devotion to the country, and a strong work ethic. The President also wants a military commander who will put national interest and the welfare of Filipinos above all else.
Castro declined to identify any prospective appointees, saying there is no official information yet that can be released regarding the selection process.
Brawner, who will retire on July 20, assumed the AFP’s top post in July 2023, becoming the organization’s 60th Chief of Staff. During his tenure, he oversaw key military modernization efforts, strengthened territorial defense initiatives, and expanded security cooperation with allied nations.
A member and salutatorian of the Philippine Military Academy Makatao Class of 1989, Brawner has spent nearly four decades in military service. He was born in Baguio City to the late Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Romeo Brawner Sr. and the late University of the Philippines Baguio professor Lenora Fe Brawner.
The Palace has not given a timetable for the President’s decision, but an announcement is expected before Brawner reaches the mandatory retirement age later this month to ensure a smooth transition in the Armed Forces’ leadership.
ia/xf
