10th ID commander eyed as next Army chief

DAVAO CITY – The incumbent commander of the Army's 10 Infantry Division is one of the contenders for the highest position in the Philippine Army when Lt. Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista bows out of the military service this month.

Maj. General Noel Clement, 10ID commander, said on Monday he is honored to be considered as commanding general of the Philippine Army.

Clement was quick to point out, however, that the other contenders are strong candidates as well. They are Maj. Gen. Macairog Alberto,  chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), and Maj. Gen. Filemon Santos Jr., commander of the Army's 7th Infantry Division based in Nueva Ecija.

Like Clement, Alberto also served in Mindanao and was a former Task Force Davao commander, as well as commander of the Army's 1001st Infantry Brigade based in Barangay Mapaang, Maco, Compostela Valley.

Clement is in his second year as the commander of the 10ID based in Tuburan, Mawab, Compostela Valley province. He was installed in his current post in June 2017, replacing Maj. Gen. Rafael Valencia, who is currently the AFP Inspector General.

Clement was the former deputy chief of staff for operations of the AFP. The Agila division covers the area of Davao Region, Region 12, and the municipalities of Trento in Agusan del Sur, Lingig in Surigao del Sur and San Fernando in Bukidnon.

Bautista, the outgoing Army chief, is a member of PMA Class of 1985. He served as the overall commander of military operations in Marawi, directly leading armed forces troops against the Maute-ISIS group. (Rhoda Grace B. Saron/PNA)