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Carlito Galvez, 60, headed the Philippines' COVID-19 task force
and as a regional army commander was in 2017 credited with
overseeing the defeat of militants loyal to Islamic State, who
took over and held a southern town for five months in 2017.
He replaces Jose Faustino, whose resignation as acting defence
chief was announced by the president's office, without providing
a reason.
Galvez, who served as armed forces chief in 2018, will be
responsible for protecting the Philippines maritime territory
and its exclusive economic zone, amid tension with China over
the prolonged presence in the South China Sea of fishing boats
believed to be manned by militia.
The defence ministry has been pushing to modernise the military
and upgrade its outdated air and sea assets, in an effort to
boost its ability to protect its vast maritime borders and
islands it holds close to manmade facilities built on reefs and
militarised by China.
(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty)
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