MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte selected Central Command chief Lieutenant General Noel Clement as the next chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Department of National Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.
Lorenzana on Thursday announced Clement’s appointment but his office is still waiting for the appointment papers from the Palace.
Clement – who will replace General Benjamin Madrigal Jr. – could move to his new position on the AFP’s change of command on Sept. 24. Madrigal was scheduled for retirement when he reached the age of 56 on Sept. 28.
Clement previously served as the chief of the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry “Agila” Division before leading the Central Command in the Visayan region.
A member of the Philippine Military Academy’s Sandiwa Class of 1985, Clement commanded the 501st and 602nd Infantry Brigades and served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the military.
A dent to Clement’s career was when he was linked to the April 2007 kidnapping and disappearance of activist Jonas Burgos.
He, however, was cleared by the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for lack of evidence./PN
