A SEASONED army commander, Maj. Gen. Rey Ardo, was named as the new Western Mindanao military chief, replacing Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes, who was appointed as Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff.

Ardo was the former commander of the Sixth Infantry Division in Maguindanao province in central Mindanao before being appointed as Coballes’ replacement. He was replaced by Maj. Gen. Ceasar Ordoyo, chief of the Intelligence Services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Coballes took over the position of lieutenant general. Reynaldo Mapagu, who retired recently.

A decorated brigadier, Col. Daniel Lucero, who commanded the 103rd Infantry Brigade in Lanao del Sur province, was also promoted to brigadier general.

Lucero is also among “The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers [for] 2011” and one of the most respected and decorated officers in the army.

TOPS had this to say about Lucero: “A military man has long been seen as stoic and content to let his actions speak for him, but what differentiates a man who has been appointed to speak for his peers? This was a challenge faced by [then] Col. Daniel Lucero, who was appointed as spokesperson of Southern Command in Zamboanga City in 2002, and as Chief of the Public Information Office of the AFP and concurrent spokesperson in 2003.”

“His 24/7 availability to the media, along with his skilful handling, allowed him to effectively respond to the negative feedback thrown against the AFP during his assignment as spokesperson. As commander of the 18th Infantry Battalion stationed in Basilan, his group received the Commanding General-Philippine Army Streamer Award for 2001. The success of the Balikatan Exercises became a model for the Americans who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, and resulted in relative peace in Basilan from 2001 to 2006.”

Lucero graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1983 and holds Masters Degrees from the University of the Philippines, and obtained a degree in International Relations from the Australian National University.

Armed Forces chief, General Jesse Dellosa, is also set to retire in January next year and Philippine Army chief, General Emmanuel Bautista is the stronger contender to replace him.