Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana expressed confidence that former AFP Chief of Staff General Jose Faustino Jr. will continue the momentum of the Department of National Defense after he was designated as officer-in-charge of the DND by President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

"I welcome the selection of former AFP Chief of Staff General Jose C. Faustino Jr. as the incoming officer-in-charge of the Department by the President-elect. General Faustino will hit the ground running, so to speak, having just left the AFP in November," said Lorenzana.

"I am confident that with his years of dedicated service as a military officer, Gen. Faustino will continue the Department's momentum in our internal security and external defense operations, as well as the modernization of the armed forces and the entire defense organization," he said.

Lorenzana said he is looking forward to working with Faustino and his team for the transition before the end of the month.

"I look forward to working with Gen. Faustino and his team in the transition period leading up to June 30," he said.

Faustino served as the 56th chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for a little over three months in November 2021. Robina Asido/DMS