Miranda named acting AFP chief

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda as the new chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), replacing Gen. Hernando Iriberri who left the service yesterday upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.

Aquino led the turnover ceremonies at the AFP general headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo. Miranda, the vice chief of staff, will be assuming the top AFP post in an acting capacity due to restrictions under election rules that prohibit appointments to certain positions at this time.

Unless the next president extends his appointment, Miranda’s term will be coterminous with Aquino’s on June 30.

Aquino lauded Iriberri for his exemplary military service, highlighted by the conduct of the peaceful 2013 elections in the province of Abra and the arrest of top New People’s Army (NPA) leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon.

Iriberri was also cited by the President for his untiring efforts that brought peace to 52 out of 56 NPA-affected areas around the country, making them ready for peaceful development.

Iriberri, in his retirement speech, said the recent killing of 18 soldiers in Basilan would not deter the military from performing its mandated task to protect the people and the state against known enemies.

“A number of times in the last three decades I have mourned the loss of my men. Even then their sacrifices bolster our determination to fight harder. Just 13 days ago, we witnessed the valor of our troops as they made the ultimate sacrifice during an operation in Basilan province. I salute their valor. We shall not be cowed by this incident. Instead, after we have wiped our tears, we shall continue the fight for peace and for our people,” Iriberri said.

Miranda, for his part, said that as acting AFP chief, his command thrust will be patterned after the operational plans and programs already initiated by Iriberri.

Miranda, a member of Philippine Military Academy “Matikas” Class of 1983, assumed as the AFP vice chief in March, after his position as commanding general of the Northern Luzon Command was swapped with then vice chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tanalgo.

Before he was Nolcom chief, Miranda served as commanding general of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division in Nueva Ecija.

He also led the Army’s 25th Infantry Battalion, 1002nd Brigade.

He was also dean of academics of the AFP Command and General Staff College and later on the General Headquarters and Headquarters Service Command at Camp Aguinaldo.

Miranda is a Scout Ranger, a paratrooper, infantry and intelligence officer. He has a master’s degree in National Security and Business Administration.

“As a soldier, I have seen violence and disturbing landscapes on many occasions. In all these occasions, none I would say was ever pleasant and for the lack of softer terms, they all look ugly,” Miranda said.

In pursuit of peace, Miranda enjoined all servicemen to be guided by the military’s operational thrusts and guidelines to prioritize goals for attaining decisive wins while at the same time sustaining support for the government’s peace initiatives.

As acting chief of the 130,000-strong military, Miranda also said he would continue to push the AFP modernization program while uplifting the morale and welfare of the troops.

“The upgrade of our defense posture and delivery of needed new platforms and materiel, as well as the release of resources for many other projects, came at the most opportune time,” Miranda said. – Jaime Laude