Major General Jose Faustino, the military commander who has been overseeing operations of the Davao-based Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), is the next Philippine Army chief.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed this to Rappler on Friday, February 12.

In a memorandum dated February 11, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialidea informed Lorenzana that Malacañang has approved his recommendation to designate Faustino as acting commanding general of the Army.

Faustino replaces Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, who was appointed as the 8th Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Faustino is set to lead a 100,000-strong Army that has been aggressive against communist insurgents, as ordered by the commander-in-chief, President Rodrigo Duterte.

Faustino is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Maringal Class of 1988. During his stint in Eastern Mindanao, he focused on operations against the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Before leading Eastmincom, Faustino was the commander of the 10th Infantry Division based in Davao de Oro. He had also served as chief of the 11th Intelligence Service Unit in Davao City.

Faustino also led troops in Sulu when he was commander of the 35th Infantry Battalion and the 501st Infantry Brigade.

Faustino spent his early years in the service with the First Scout Ranger Regiment, an elite Army unit. – with reports from Pia Ranada/Rappler.com