BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The race is on for the next chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
AFP chief of staff Gen. Felimon Santos is set to retire on August. 4.
Army chief Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay was reported yesterday as leading the race for the position as AFP chief, with Lt. Gen. Cerelito Sobejana , chief of the AFP Western Mindanao Command, and Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, chief of the AFP Southern Luzon Command, also in the list, a ranking military official, who asked that his identity be withheld, said.
There are 10 three-star generals vying for the position of AFP chief, including Negrense Lt. Gen. Roberto Ancan, who is the AFP Central Command chief.
If Gapay makes it as AFP chief, there is a strong possibility that Ancan will also succeed him as Army chief, the DAILY STAR source said.
At the end of the day, it will be the President who will select the new AFP and Army chiefs, he added.
AFP spokesperson Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said earlier that the recommendation of the AFP Board Of Generals had already home submitted to Malacanang through the Department of National Defense, in the first week of July.* GPB
