New Army vice commander, chief of staff assume post

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Army has a new vice commander and chief of staff.

Maj. Gen. Robert Arevalo was named vice commander while Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay replaced Arevalo as chief of staff.

Arevalo replaced Maj. Gen. Harold Cabreros who retired on Oct. 7.

The change of command ceremony was held last week.

The Army said Arevalo, an expert in logistics, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1985.  

Prior to his stint in the Army, Arevalo was commander of the headquarters and headquarters support group from 2013 to 2016, assistant chief of staff for logistics from 2010 to 2013 and assistant chief of staff for comptrollership training and doctrine command from 1999 to 2001. 

Gapay is the topnotcher of the PMA Class of 1986 and has a master’s degree in management.  

He was the deputy commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command. He was also the head of the Joint Task Force Haribon as well as the spokesman for the implementation of martial law in Mindanao.