Armed Forces chief of staff General Jessie Dellosa yesterday installed Major General Jose Mabanta Jr. as acting commander of the AFP Central Command, after the retirement of Lt. Gen. Ralph Villanueva.

The AFP Central Command supervises all major military units in the Visayas.

Mabanta, however, remains concurrent commander of the 3rd Infantry Division in Western Visayas, until President Benigno Aquino III appoints the recommended new AFP CenCom chief.

Villanueva had served as the AFP Central Command chief for more than two years, before he retired from the military service yesterday.

Col. Oscar Lactao, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, who attended the turnover of command held in Cebu, yesterday said Mabanta had ordered them to continue the momentum of the IPSP Bayanihan in Visayas.

Brig. Gen. Essel Soriano also assumed yesterday as vice-commander of the Philippine Army, in a ceremony held at Fort Andres Bonifacio in Taguig City.

Soriano, who is now the Army’s number two man, replaced Major General Renato David, who also bowed out from the military service after reaching the mandatory retiring age of 56.*GPB

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