AFP chief bares 3 contenders for Navy chief post

MANILA, Philippines - At least three Navy officers have made it to the shortlist of contenders for the next chief of the Philippine Navy, Armed Forces chief Gen. Jessie Dellosa said.

Dellosa said the shortlist may have already been submitted to the Office of the President.

“The BOG (Board of Generals) has already made a recommendation. I think it’s (list) already at the Office of the President,” he told reporters in a recent interview.

Dellosa declined to identify the officers who were included in the list. He, however, said all individuals in the shortlist are capable of performing the job.

“All of them are qualified,” the military chief said.

Among the officers who are qualified to become the next Navy chief are Navy Vice Commander Rear Adm. Edgar Abogado, Philippine Fleet Commander Rear Adm. Orwen Cortez and Armed Forces Central Command chief Vice Adm. Jose Luis Alano.

Abogado is a graduate of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class ’80 while Cortez and Alano are members of PMA class ’79.

Abogado served as the Chief of Naval Staff before he was appointed Navy Vice Chief. He was also the Commander of the Naval Forces Northern Luzon and Commander of the Navy Logistics Center.

Meanwhile, Cortez has held key military positions including Navy Vice Commander and chief of the Palawan-based Naval Forces West and Naval Forces Western Mindanao Command.

Alano was the leader of several important units in the Navy including the Philippine Fleet, Office of the Chief of Naval Staff, Naval Forces Northern Luzon, Service Force Command and Naval Air Group.

The incumbent Navy chief Vice Admiral Alexander Pama will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on December 21.

The date, however, falls on the celebration of the 77th anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Sources said Pama might turnover the leadership of the Navy to his successor a few days earlier than his scheduled retirement.