Spokesman gets chief planner role in AFP

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla on Thursday assumed the position of deputy chief of staff for plans (J5).

Padilla said his office would be "responsible for all strategies, plans and policy recommendations in support of the AFP Chief of Staff's command thrusts and priorities across the spectrum of the AFP's mission areas."

"I have yet to established a position on these matters. I need to get the current brief on various aspects of national security beforehand. These are matters that need very careful deliberations and assessments," Padilla said.

"International relations (military diplomacy) with allies and other countries would be one. Capacity and capability development (planning, programming) will be another. Organizational and force development will be part and subsumed under the second aspect," he added.

Padilla said he would remain as the AFP's spokesman, but he needs to give up his other post as the assistant AFP deputy chief of staff for civil military operations (J7).

Padilla assumed as the assistant J7 in 2014, and later on given the additional duty as the AFP spokesperson 

The AFP spokesman was a member of the Philippine Military Academy class of 1985. —Anna Felicia Bajo/NB, GMA News