Army chief Nafarrete is Marcos’ pick to lead Philippine military

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.

Lieutenant General Donald Gumiran, currently commander of the Western Mindanao Command, has also been appointed commander of the Army, replacing Nafarrete.

Nafarrete takes over an AFP still in the midst of a long-overdue transition in focus from internal to external defense. The Philippines formalized this shift in 2023 with the release of the National Security Policy.

For the AFP, this has meant introducing rapid changes – from modernization and retraining to the redeployment of forces – in the Navy and Air Force, branches expected to bear the brunt of defending the country’s vast maritime spaces. For the Army, it has meant doubling down on internal security operations while transitioning these tasks to the police and reorienting itself more toward external defense.

Nafarrete’s appointment means that unless President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. or the next president decides to fire him, he is set to be AFP chief until July 2029. RA 11939 allows AFP chiefs to remain in the post even after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 57.

Brawner will officially retire and turn over the role to Nafarrete Tuesday afternoon, with Marcos expected in attendance. – Rappler.com