Palace: Duterte wants incoming AFP chief Clement to continue fight vs. communist rebels

President Rodrigo Duterte has directed incoming Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Lieutenant General Noel Clement to continue the fight against communist forces, Malacañang said Friday.

Clement will take over the top AFP post from General Benjamin Madrigal Jr., who will retire next week.

“One of the marching orders of the President is to continue the government’s goal to end the local communist armed conflict — a task that is not new to General Clement as he previously headed the AFP Central Command (CentCom), led the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division (10th ID), and served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the AFP, among others,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

Clement said in an interview that fighting communist groups is not solely the work of the military, adding that he plans to engage more sectors in curbing the insurgency problem.

“The Palace is confident that with General Clement at the helm of the AFP, he will continue to uphold the high degree of professionalism, the dedication and the integrity our soldiers have displayed to the flag and country,” Panelo said.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy  Sandiwa Class of 1985, Clement will have a brief term as AFP chief as he is set to reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 in January 2020. —KBK, GMA News