MANILA — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has tapped Antonio Nafarrete to lead the country’s armed forces, according to an announcement from the defense ministry on Tuesday.
Nafarrete previously headed the Philippine Army before stepping into the top military role, replacing Romeo Brawner, whose three-year term as the nation’s highest-ranking military officer concluded Tuesday.
The new armed forces chief brings 36 years of military experience to the position, including time spent in combat and counter-insurgency missions targeting Islamist militants and communist guerrillas in the southern part of the country. He now oversees a military force of 160,000 personnel that is currently undergoing a multi-billion-dollar modernization effort to replace outdated equipment, some of which dates back to World War Two.
The modernization push is focused on strengthening external defense and maritime security as tensions continue to rise between Manila and Beijing over competing claims in the South China Sea.
The most recent flashpoint occurred Monday at the Second Thomas Shoal, where Philippine military officials accused members of China’s Coast Guard of striking a navy crew member in the head with a wooden baton. China’s Coast Guard denied the claim, calling it false and accusing the Philippines of misrepresenting the situation.
Nafarrete’s rise to command also comes as the Philippines works to broaden its security relationships beyond its longstanding alliance with the United States, building closer ties with Japan, Australia, Canada, and several European nations.
A 1990 graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, Nafarrete is set to serve a fixed three-year term running through July 2029, barring any decision by the president to remove him from the post.
