Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that the term of Gen. Eduardo Ano as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will not be extended.

“He (Ano) will retire. He will not be extended but for the replacement...the president will choose from among the three star generals,” Lorenzana said Friday.

When asked if he had an idea who will replace Ano, Lorenzana said “If I already know, I will not be authorized to announce yet.”

Lorenzana said if he can just decide, he would extend Ano’s service to the military.

“He is very good, very professional he knows what he is doing. Very firm, he thinks deeply and enormously. He is an example of a general. If I were to decide, I will extend him...but the president said: I need him in other job',” he said.

Ano, a member of Philippine Military Academy class of 1983 is set to reach his mandatory retirement age of 56 on October 26.

He is the second AFP Chief of Staff appointed during the current administration. He assumed his position in December 2016.

It can be recalled President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed a plan to name Ano as his senior aide as the law prohibits a retired military officer to be a cabinet secretary within a year from retirement date. Duterte wanted to make him secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government. Robina Asido/DMS