Five senior officers have been nominated to become the next commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to replace Admiral Artemio Abu, who will be retiring next month.

PCG Spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo named the five nominees for the position, who are the following:

• Vice Admiral Rolando Lizor Punzalan, who is the current PCG Deputy Commandant for Operations,
• PCG Deputy Commandant for Administration, Vice Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan
• Commander of Maritime Services Command, Vice Admiral Joseph Coyme
• Commander of Weapons Electronics and Information Systems, Vice Admiral Allan Victor Dela Vega
• Commander of Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Commandant, Vice Admiral Roy Echeverria

The five nominees will undergo interviews and face senior leadership of the Department of Transportation before being finally endorsed by the Office of the President.

Moreover, Balilo said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. could still choose any qualified official except the five nominated officers.