Malacañang Palace on Tuesday asserted that former Department of Defense (DND) officer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr. knew about the change of leadership in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Citing information from Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil said Faustino was informed on the “developments with regard to the appointment of Gen. Andres Centino” as AFP Chief of Staff.
“The President as the Commander-in-Chief has the sole prerogative to appoint the AFP Chief of Staff,” Garafil said.
The press statement comes hours after Faustino claimed that he tendered his resignation after he only learned that Centino took an oath before President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos in Malacañang on the news and social media reports.
“I cannot allow the AFP's reputation to be tarnished, maligned, or politicized. I assure everyone that I will always hold the AFP in high esteem, which its men and women have painstakingly earned,” he underlined in his statement.
