AFP welcomes selection of Noel Clement as next chief of staff

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday welcomed the appointment of Lieutenant General Noel Clement as the military's 52nd chief of staff.

According to AFP spokesperson Marine Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo, Clement was the incumbent chief of the Central Command who was a vastly experienced commander and leader, which would help him address challenges such as the communist insurgency and local terrorism.

"He is a highly revered and seasoned commander with an impressive track record of mission accomplishment and in administration and management in the different levels of command and staff positions in his Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao assignments," Arevalo said in a statement.

Clement, who is a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Sandiwa” Class of 1985, served as the chief of the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry "Agila" Division before leading the Central Command, which covers the entire Visayas.

Clement also commanded the 501st and 602nd Infantry Brigades and served as the military's Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (J3).

For his part, the incoming AFP chief promised to focus on fighting communist insurgents, noting that curbing the activities of communist groups was not solely the work of the military but of the whole nation.

AFP chief General Benjamin Madrigal Jr. is scheduled to retire on September 28.

The AFP’s change of command will be held on September 24, Tuesday. — DVM, GMA News