Friday, June 19, 2015

Visaya, others get promoted

The Standard (Jun 20): Visaya, others get promoted

Southern Luzon Command commander Major General Ricardo Visaya will receive his three-star rank of lieutenant general this weekend or early next week, after President Benigno Aquino III approved his promotion along with those of other senior officers.

Aquino signed Visaya’s promotion Thursday despite alleged efforts to stop his promotion because of reports that he was going to replace outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr.

Catapang is set to reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on the third week of July.

Also promoted to the next higher rank are Intelligence Services of the AFP chief Brigadier General Arnold Quiapo and 1st Infantry Division Commander Gerry Barrientos, both classmates of Visaya at the Philippine Military Academy’s Class “Matikas” of 1983.

Two other classmates of Visaya, Colonels Bobet Moog and Joel Celino, were promoted to brigadier general.

Aside from Visaya, other contenders for the military top post are Philippine Air Force chief Lieutenant General Jeffrey Delgado (PMA “Sandigan” Class of 1982) and Army chief Lt. Gen. Hernando Irriberi (PMA 1983).

Both Visaya and Delgado have personal ties with Aquino, having been presidential security aides before.

Irriberi is believed to be close to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.

Irriberi was facing criminal and administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for delaying the delivery of three ammunition contracts worth P97.8 million of a supplier, who has been seeking for his preventive suspension.

There is also talk that Irriberi will be kicked upstairs and named AFP vice chief of staff when Lt. Gen. John Bonafos retires this August.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/06/20/visaya-others-get-promoted/

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