NCRCOM chief Mapagu is new Army commanding general

A classmate of newly installed Armed Forces chief General Delfin Bangit has been named as the incoming commander of the Philippine Army. In an interview Thursday, Agapito Lugay, head executive assistant of Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, said Armed Forces National Capital Region Command chief Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu will take over the top Army post vacated by Bangit. Mapagu will formally assume his new post Friday during simple turnover ceremonies at the Philippine Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City. Both Mapagu and Bangit are members of the Philippine Military Academy "Makatarungan" Class of 1978, which counts President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as its honorary member. Bangit assumed the top military post last Wednesday. [See: Bangit vows nonpartisan AFP in upcoming May 10 elections] Defense officials have yet to announce who will take over the post of Mapagu as NCRCom chief. Aside from Bangit and Mapagu, a number of PMA Class 1978 members are occupying significant posts: Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena, Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) chief Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali and Lt. Gen. Ralph Villanueva, commanding general of the AFP Central Command. Before his new designation, Mapagu once served as chief of the elite First Scout Ranger Regiment after former Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim was relieved in connection with the February 2006 coup as chief of staff of the Philippine Army and commander of the 10th Infantry Division based in Davao. Mapagu will assume his new post at a time when the deadline for government security forces to crush the communist insurgency nears. In June 2006, President Arroyo ordered government security forces to end the communist insurgency by the time she ends her term on June 30 this year. Army troops are also involved in the campaign against secessionist rebels and local terrorist groups in southern Philippines. - RSJ, GMANews.TV