Nafarrete Appointed New AFP Chief Amid Worsening South China Sea Tensions

MANILA, Philippines — Amid worsening tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea, President Marcos on Tuesday reaffirmed the mandate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to defend the country, with his appointment of Gen. Antonio Nafarrete as the new chief of staff. “The command entrusted to you is great, but the purpose is even greater: to safeguard our people, defend every inch of our land and waters, and secure the future of our Republic,” Marcos said in his speech during a turnover ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo where Nafarrete formally assumed command of the Armed Forces from retiring Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. During the ceremony, Marcos conferred a fourth star on Nafarrete, promoting him to the rank of general. Before his appointment as the military’s 61st chief of staff, Nafarrete headed the Philippine Army, with the rank of lieutenant general. Nafarrete’s appointment as the new military chief comes on the heels of renewed provocation by China in the West Philippine Sea, even as foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meet in Manila on Tuesday together with their American counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Philippines chairs the regional bloc this year. The tensions with China were the theme of Marcos’ remarks, as he emphasized that the Philippines “will always remain a nation that seeks peace” and adhere to international law as a “respectful” state. “We seek cooperation, but we will never compromise our sovereignty,” the President also emphasized. “We extend friendship to all, but we will never abandon our national dignity.” “That has always been the Filipino way. And that will always be our course,” Marcos said, as he directed Nafarrete to further strengthen the AFP. “We are confident that your previous leadership assignments … have given you the wisdom and experience needed to lead the AFP,” the President said, adding the government would continue to enhance the military’s capabilities and readiness in the remaining two years of his administration. Nafarrete affirmed the President’s remarks, saying in his speech: “The defense of Philippine territory, sovereignty, sovereign rights and national interests shall remain our primary responsibility.” Regarding the AFP’s modernization, Nafarrete said, “Our true strength does not only lie in the weapons we wield, the equipment we acquire, or the technology we adopt. Our true strength lies in our personnel.” “For this reason, human capital development shall be at the center of AFP modernization,” he said. Interviewed about the latest encounter at Ayungin Shoal on Monday, Nafarrete said, “We have to stand our ground. That is ours. Rest assured that we will continue to do our jobs.” A member of the Philippine Military Academy “Bigkis-Lahi” Class of 1990, Nafarrete is a career Scout Ranger with decades of operational and command experience across Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. In the Philippine Army, he had headed the Western Mindanao Command, the 6th Infantry Division and the 1st Infantry Division. He had also served with the Presidential Security Group and later chaired the government’s Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Nafarrete also has a master’s degree in management, major in public administration, at the Philippine Christian University. In the United States, he was trained at the US Army Ranger Course. The Department of National Defense also announced the appointment of Lt. Gen. Donald Gumiran, commander of the Western Mindanao Command, as the Army’s new commanding general. Nafarrete’s three-year term as AFP chief ends in 2029—when the country will have elected a new president. /cb