Philippines' Duterte names new military chief

MANILA - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday named an Army intelligence officer as the new chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

In a letter to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana dated Jan 2, Duterte said he has designated Lieutenant General Felimon Santos as chief of staff of the Philippine military force.

Santos will replace outgoing AFP chief of staff General Noel Clement who will retire on Sunday after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.

Before his new appointment, Santos was the commanding general of the AFP's Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) in the southern Philippines.

After graduating at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio City, Santos was assigned with the Army's 39th Infantry Battalion, a unit deployed in various provinces in Mindanao.