Iriberri succeeds Catapang as AFP chief

New Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Hernando Iriberri
(Wikipedia photo)

MANILA – Lieutenant General Hernando Iriberri is the new Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, succeeding former chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr. who retires from military service.

The change of command ceremony has been held on Friday morning at Camp Aguinaldo.

Iriberri is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1983, has served as Amy spokesman in 200, and has been the Army Commanding General in 2014. He has also commanded the 7th Infantry Division in Nueva Ecija and the 503rd Infantry Brigade in Abra.

In his more than 30 years of service, Iriberri has been awarded one Bronze Cross Medal, two Gold Cross Medals, five Distinguished Service Stars, and numerous Military Merit Medals and Military Commendation Medals.

President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has even dubbed him as ‘superman’ for topping physical examinations.

As the new AFP cief, Iriberri will be leading 125,000-strong military. He will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 next year.

Aside from Iriberri, other contenders for the top post were Air Force Chief Lieutenant General Jeffrey Delgado, Southern Luzon Command Lieutenant General Ricardo Visaya, and Western Command Chief Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez.