Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has cut short the term of the military chief of staff he appointed five months ago and replaced him with a retiring general without explaining the surprise move.
Lt. Gen. Andres Centino, the military chief of staff who Bacarro replaced in August last year, was installed by Marcos to the top post of the 144,000-strong armed forces. Asked for reaction on his removal, Bacarro told reporters without elaborating Friday night in a text message that the military would support the new military chief.In a turnover of command ceremony at the main military camp in the capital on Saturday, Bacarro handed a saber symbolising military leadership to Centino and thanked the military, his family and the president. Marcos did not attend the ceremony but was represented by his close advisers, including Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
“Continue with this tradition, where you respect each other, where you give so much consideration to the qualifications of your fellow officers in order to enable your organisation … to move forward instead of looking back,” Bersamin said.