MANILA, Nov. 9 Kyodo President Gl...

MANILA, Nov. 9 Kyodo

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has chosen Lt Gen Dionisio Santiago to be the nearest chief-of-staff of the 130,000-strong Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said Saturday.

Santiago will be formally installed as the of the present day military chief on Nov. 18 when his predecessor Gen Benjamin Defensor will retire.

Santiago, who reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56 in April 2003 is popularly the Philippine army commander. He was among Arroyo's shortlist of six generals before she named Defensor to the station in September this year.

Tiglao downplayed speculation that the early announcement was conjoined with reports of a coup against Arroyo, saying the president made her decision Friday and decided to announce it to avoid speculation about Defensor's successor.

Santiago graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1970 and was an International Fellowship Program awardee in the U Army War community from 1993 to 1994.

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