President Bongbong Marcos has designated Carlito Galvez Jr. to serve as the new DND chief
PRESIDENT BONGBONG MARCOS – The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced that the President has designated Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Carlito Galvez Jr. to serve as the Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND).
PCO Officer-in-Charge Cheloy Garafil said that President Bongbong Marcos accepted the resignation of DND Officer-in-Charge Jose Faustino, Jr. She, however, didn’t give any reason for Faustino’s resignation.
On Monday, Garafil said that the President has offered the position of DND chief to Galvez and he has accepted the said offer. His appointment is subject to confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.
To recall, Galvez served as the overall coordinator of the national government’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the Duterte administration from 2020 to 2022.
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According to a report, developments in the Department of National Defense came at a time rumors of destabilization at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sparked following the return of General Andres Centino as the country’s military chief of staff — which both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the AFP denied.
Despite this, the Philippine Air Force (PAF), the Philippine Navy (PN), and the Philippine Army (PA) expressed solidarity with Centino as they vowed to remain a professional organization amidst the change of leadership that saw Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, a Medal of Valor awardee, being replaced at the top AFP post after serving for 5 months.
It was last June 2022 when Faustino was name as the officer-in-charge of the Department of National Defense.
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