THE Armed Forces board of generals has issued new assignments
affecting 10 star-ranked officers and nine senior officers, including the
officer who led the search for kidnapped Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi in
Mindanao.
AFP public information office chief Lt. Col. Bartolome
Bacarro said the reshuffle was done to fill up positions vacated by the
retirement of senior and military flag officers.
Brig. Gen. Jovencio Magalso, former chief of the Army's 102nd
Brigade, is now the new deputy chief of the 1st Infantry Division based in
Pagadian City, replacing Brig. Gen. Hilario Atendido, who was named the new
commander of Joint Task Force Kilat. As commander of the 102nd Brigade, Magalso
commanded Task Force Bossi which conducted search and rescue operations for Fr.
Bossi. The priest was recovered on July 19, 2007 in Karumatan, Lanao del Norte,
nine days after Marine soldiers searching for him in Basilan were ambushed by
Abu Sayyaf and secessionist forces in Al Barkah, Basilan which left 14 soldiers
dead, 10 of them beheaded.
Brig. Gen. Jorge Nomos, former chief of the 51st Engineering
Brigade was named the new deputy chief of the National Development Command;
Brig. Gen. Raynard Ronnie Javier, the former chief of the 103rd Brigade is now
the new chief of the AFP Strategic Studies.
Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban, former commander of the Basilan-based
Joint Task Force Thunder was named new commander of the Sulu-based Joint Task
Force Comet, replacing retiring Maj. Gen. Ruben Rafael.
Brig. Gen. Anthony Alcantara, former commander of the 702
Brigade, is the new chief of the AFP Command Center; Brig. Gen. Mario Chan,
former head of the 204th Brigade, is the new AFP assistant deputy chief of staff
for plans and programs.
Commodore Vicente Agdamag, former commander of the Naval
Forces Northern Luzon, is the new deputy chief of the Philippine Fleet. His old
post will go to Commodore Jose Luis Alano, the former chief of the Service Force
of the Navy.
Another commodore, Joel Babas, former commander of the
Assault Craft Force of the Philippine Fleet, is the new deputy chief of the AFP
Central Command.
The nine senior officers who got new posts are: Col.
Felizardo Simoy, former commander of the 54
