CentCom soon to have new head
CEBU, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command (AFP-CentCom) will have a new commander on December 8 as Lt. Gen. Oscar Lactao will be retiring by the end of the month.
Lactao said that his stint was a journey of wins and losses.
The most remarkable win was the successful fight against the 11 Abu Sayyaf bandits in Bohol early this year.
But he said one of the painful losses was the death of soldiers in the Bohol encounter.
He thanked the local government units and the community of Bohol for their strong coordination and cooperation during the fight against the bandits.
Lactao assumed as commander of CentCom in December 2016. Before that, he was the commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade in Negros Occidental.
In an interview, Lactao said that a board of generals will choose his successor.
He assured that CentCom will continue to be in the frontline in keeping peace and security in the region.
On the other hand, AFP Chief of Staff General Rey Leonardo Guerrero will also retire next month, just more than a month after he was installed on October 25.
Guerrero said there are several generals who are qualified to replace him but he did not name names.
He added only President Rodrigo Roa Duterte can give an order to extend his stint as AFP Chief of Staff.
Guerrero also commended Lactao for his effort in keeping Central Visayas safe.
Lactao and Guerrero are both from the Philippine Military Academy Maharlika class of 1984. (FREEMAN)
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