Army chief Nafarrete is Marcos' pick to lead Philippine military

NEW ARMY CHIEF. Lieutenant General Antonio Nafarette is the 67th commanding general of the Philippine Army

Screenshot from RTVM

Nafarrete takes over an AFP still in the midst of a long-overdue transition in focus from internal to external defense

MANILA, Philippines — Lieutenant General Antonio Nafarrete has been appointed chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Department of National Defense (DND) announced on Tuesday, July 21, hours ahead of a scheduled change-of-command ceremony.

Nafarrete, the chief of the Philippine Army, replaces General Romeo Brawner Jr., who is set to retire on July 21 after three years as the country’s top military officer. Brawner is the first military chief to complete a fixed three-year term under Republic Act No. 11939, which was passed in 2023.