Lt. Gen. Antonio G. Nafarrete of the Philippine Army formally assumed command as the 61st Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, succeeding Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr. during a change-of-command ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. presided over the ceremony and honored Brawner for his service, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Brawner Completes Historic Three-Year Term
Gen. Brawner retired after three years as the country's top military officer, becoming the first AFP chief to complete a fixed three-year term under Republic Act No. 11939 — a 2023 law that ended the practice of short, revolving tenures that had long characterized the AFP's highest post.
Lt. Gen. Donald Gumiran, former commander of the Western Mindanao Command, has been designated to succeed Nafarrete as the Commanding General of the Philippine Army.
Ilonggo Officer Who Rose Through Scout Ranger Ranks
Nafarrete was born on February 22, 1969, in Manila and grew up in Iloilo, attending Calinog Elementary School and graduating from West Visayas State University before entering the Philippine Military Academy. He is the youngest of six siblings and the son of a lawyer and a teacher.
He graduated from the PMA as a member of the "Bigkis-Lahi" Class of 1990 and was commissioned into the Philippine Army on February 18, 1990, beginning his career as a platoon leader in the 10th Infantry Battalion of the 1st Infantry Division in Zamboanga del Sur.
A career Scout Ranger, Nafarrete was among the pioneers who organized the 1st Scout Ranger Company under the 1st Infantry Division when the First Scout Ranger Regiment was reactivated on January 16, 1991. He assumed command of the 6th Scout Ranger Company in 1996 and later served as intelligence and operations officer of the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion and intelligence officer of the First Scout Ranger Regiment from 1997 to 1999.
The Scout Ranger Regiment is the Philippine Army's elite special operations force specializing in counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, jungle warfare, and special reconnaissance, according to the AFP.
Postings From Presidential Security to Mindanao Commands
After a stint with the AFP Joint Special Operations Group from 2003 to 2007 and command of the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion in the Visayas from 2008 to 2010, Nafarrete joined the Presidential Security Group, where he served as assistant chief of staff for operations and later as chief of staff from 2010 to 2015 during the Aquino administration.
He subsequently commanded the 1101st Infantry "Gagandilan" Brigade in Sulu, where he initiated the Balik-Barangay Program in Patikul to help facilitate the return of residents displaced by armed conflict.
Nafarrete later led the 1st Infantry "Tabak" Division and Joint Task Force Zampelan and chaired the Government of the Philippines Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front — a role central to sustaining the Bangsamoro peace process — while serving as deputy commander for administration of the Western Mindanao Command.
He commanded WestMinCom before being appointed the 67th Commanding General of the Philippine Army on July 31, 2025, a post he held until his elevation to AFP chief.
Military and Academic Credentials
Nafarrete completed extensive military training, including the U.S. Army Ranger Course at the U.S. Army Infantry School, the Joint and Combined Warfighting Course at the National Defense University in the United States, and the Comprehensive Security Response to Terrorism Course at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii.
He holds a master's degree in management, major in public administration, from Philippine Christian University. Nafarrete is married to Dr. Patrizia Nafarrete, with whom he has twins, Antonio Miguel and Anna Mikaela.
Nafarrete's Vows as Commander of the AFP
In his assumption speech, Nafarrete vowed to prioritize strengthening territorial defense capabilities, continuing military modernization, and expanding defense partnerships, according to the AFP. He also pledged to preserve the gains of internal security operations and support existing peace agreements.
Nafarrete committed to defending Philippine territory in the West Philippine Sea and stressed that troop welfare would remain a top priority, saying that "every soldier matters" as he pushes programs focused on personnel development, morale, health, education, and financial literacy.
By the Numbers
- 61st — Nafarrete's rank in the line of AFP Chiefs of Staff
- February 22, 1969 — Nafarrete's date of birth
- February 18, 1990 — Date he was commissioned into the Philippine Army
- January 16, 1991 — Date the First Scout Ranger Regiment was reactivated
- 2010–2015 — Period of his service with the Presidential Security Group under the Aquino administration
- July 31, 2025 — Date he was appointed 67th Commanding General of the Philippine Army
- 3 years — Fixed term completed by outgoing AFP chief Gen. Brawner under Republic Act No. 11939
Why This Matters
Nafarrete's assumption marks a significant moment in the AFP's institutional development, as it follows the first-ever completion of a fixed three-year term by an AFP chief under Republic Act No. 11939 — a reform designed to promote stability and continuity in military leadership. His career spans counterinsurgency operations, elite special forces command, peace process negotiations with the MILF, and presidential security, positioning him with broad experience as he takes on the country's top military post. His stated priorities — territorial defense, West Philippine Sea commitments, military modernization, and troop welfare — signal the strategic direction the AFP is expected to pursue under his leadership.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines