Marine general is new AFP operations chief

PRESIDENT Marcos Jr has designated a Marine general as operations chief of the Armed Forces.

Brig. Gen. Jimmy Larida assumed his new post of AFP deputy chief of staff for operations on Tuesday during rites at the AFP general headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo.

Ladrida’s new designation means he is due for promotion to major general as his new post is a two-star position.

AFP deputy chief Lt. Gen. Charlton Sean Gaerlan, who presided over the rites, said he expects Larida to do an excellent job at his new assignment.

“I fully trust you to maintain an exceptional level of commitment and expertise in guaranteeing the continuation of the AFP’s operational plans as we face a wide range of current and emerging security challenges,” he said.

Larida, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1991, headed the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR) prior to his designation as AFP deputy chief of staff for operations.

He succeeded Col. Jessie Banastao who assumed the post of acting AFP deputy chief of staff for operations a month ago following the designation of then AFP deputy chief of staff for operations Maj. Gen. Fernando Reyeg as commander of the AFP Visayas Command.

Before becoming chief of the JTF-NCR in December last year, Larida was deputy commander of the Philippine Marine Corps, a major unit under the Philippine Navy.

His other recent assignments were commander of the 3rd Marine Brigade, commander of the Jolo Defense Force, and chief of staff of the Joint Task Force Comet.