Push Admin

West PH Sea issues triggered movement in AFP leadership: Centino

Article (news)

Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Forty-eight Chinese fishing vessels were reported swarming Iroquois Reef, located south of the oil and gas-rich Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea in 2023. Courtesy of Western Command Armed Forces of the Philippines/file" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/07/20/20230630-china-spratlys-ho-7.jpg"/><figcaption>Forty-eight Chinese fishing vessels were reported swarming Iroquois Reef, located south of the oil and gas-rich Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea in 2023. Courtesy of Western Command Armed Forces of the Philippines/file</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Six months after his reappointment as Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff, General Andres Centino will take on a new role—as the Presidential Adviser on the West Philippine Sea.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/19/23/palace-romeo-brawner-is-next-afp-chief">Brawner is next AFP chief; Centino to be Marcos Jr&#x27;s adviser on West PH Sea</a></li></ul>In an interview at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday, Centino said the movement in the AFP leadership was brought by the government&#x27;s need to focus on the area.There is likewise a need to address “geopolitical issues” more appropriately, he added.“There was a need to bring focus on the matters in that part of the country… Our leadership has deemed it important na mabigyan ng focus and importance ‘yung the way we address the issues there in a bigger scale, that’s why they thought of creating an office of the presidential adviser,” Centino told reporters.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/23/marcos-approves-law-amending-afp-fixed-term">Marcos OKs change in fixed term for military officials</a></li></ul>“It’s challenging because it’s a new office but with my knowledge on the matter as CSAFP, I have also been aware of what’s happening there. We have units there,&quot; he said.Centino said that while his office is still being established, one thing is clear: There will be a different strategy in handling issues on the West Philippine Sea.“The office has yet to be created, so no specifics yet, but what is clear is that there should be more focus on how we handle and address the problems there,” the outgoing AFP chief said. “It will be a mix of everything that we can do. It doesn’t have to be military alone. It has to be a combination of efforts. The task force will most likely be inter-agency, meaning, there will be inclusion among other agencies to complete [it]”“The NTF (WPS), since it’s already there, maybe restructuring, maybe an enhancement of the task force,” he added.Centino reached mandatory retirement in February this year, but qualified for an extended term following the signing of <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/16/22/new-law-fixes-afp-chief-officials-term-of-office">Republic Act No. 11709</a> under the administration of then president Rodrigo Duterte.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/23/marcos-approves-law-amending-afp-fixed-term">Marcos OKs change in fixed term for military officials</a></li></ul>Under Republic Act No. 11939, which amended RA 11709, only the AFP chief of staff will have a fixed maximum tour of duty of three years, unless sooner terminated by the President.The commanding generals of the Philippine Army and Philippine Air Force, the flag officer in command of the Philippine Navy, and the superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy will have a fixed term of two years, unless sooner terminated, with no one-year prohibition for promotion.<div>DEFENSE SECTOR SUPPORTS BRAWNER AS AFP CHIEF </div>Philippine Army commanding general Lieutenant General Romeo Brawner Jr. will replace Centino as AFP chief after being appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/19/23/palace-romeo-brawner-is-next-afp-chief">Brawner is next AFP chief; Centino to be Marcos Jr&#x27;s adviser on West PH Sea</a></li></ul>Brawner has been serving as the Philippine Army chief since December 2021.He is a member of the PMA Makatao Class of 1989 and graduated number two in his class.Brawner served as the commander of the 103rd Infantry Brigade during the Marawi siege in 2017. He also served as the commandant of the PMA.Brawner also served as chief of the Philippine Army public affairs office and as AFP spokesperson.He acquired three Master’s degrees: Master’s in Information Management from the Ateneo de Manila University; Master’s in Business Administration from the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and from the European School of Management in Oxford, United Kingdom; and Master’s in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the country’s defense sector fully supports the appointment of Brawner as the next AFP chief.“The president’s choice was there should already be a succession in the AFP and in the interest of an orderly transition, his choice for CSAFP was Lt. Gen. Brawner... which was supported by the whole defense establishment, together with Gen. Centino and myself,” Teodoro said in a press briefing.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/08/22/bacarro-assumes-post-as-afp-chief-of-staff">Bacarro assumes post as AFP Chief of Staff</a></li></ul>“I would say that Gen. Brawner is the choice of the president from several choices. Of course, sinisiyasat ng pangulo ang lahat,” he continued.The military also welcomed Brawner’s appointment.“The AFP welcomes Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. as the new CSAFP. The 145,000-strong AFP shall support the incoming CSAFP who has proven his sterling leadership and performance of assigned tasks in the field of AFP operations, modernization and transformation,” AFP spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar said in a statement.“We wish him [Centino] the best and look forward to working with him in his next position as the Presidential Adviser on the West Philippine Sea,” Aguilar added.The Philippine Army, for its part, believes Brawner will carry out his duties as the next AFP chief “with due excellence.”“The PH Army wants to extend its warmest congratulations to our CGPA for being appointed as the new or incoming CSAFP. The 110,000-strong armed troops, to include our civilian HR, believe that his programs in the PA are carried with due excellence sa atin,” Army spokesperson Colonel Xerxes Trinidad noted.“Our CGPA has been consistent in his policies and guidance to the PA towards his achievement of having a modernized PA. He has been serving us with his servant leadership and continuous guidance giving primal importance to our human resources… I expect that the CGPA already has plans and programs in mind as he assumes as CSAFP.”Brawner is the third AFP chief under the Marcos administration.Under <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/23/marcos-approves-law-amending-afp-fixed-term">RA No. 11939</a>, he can serve until 2026, unless his term is sooner terminated by the President.“The change between Gen. Centino and Gen. Brawner is not a good basis for saying whether or not the intent of the law is complied with or defeated,” Teodoro answered when asked if the purpose of the law on fixed terms has been defeated.Upon resuming his new post, Brawner will serve as AFP chief in concurrent capacity as the Philippine Army commanding general. “In the PA, we have this, nakaugalian na natin na in the absence of orders, he is still to be CGPA. Although may next in line and chain of command, in the absence of your commander, there is someone who’ll take care of the organization,” Trinidad explained. “There are instances you can perform two functions, pero hindi naman magtatagal iyan.”<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2407622" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Centino said that while his office is still being established, one thing is clear: There will be a different strategy in handling issues on the West Philippine Sea.

West PH Sea issues triggered movement in AFP leadership: Centino

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

West PH Sea issues triggered movement in AFP leadership: Centino

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 20, 2023 09:04 PM PHT

Read More:

AFP

AFP chief

General Andres Centino

Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.

West Philippine Sea

RA 11939

Armed Forces of the Philippines

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.