PRESIDENT Duterte has designated the Armed Forces’ No. 3 man as the new commander of the Western Command, a key military unit in charge of protecting the country’s interests in the disputed West Philippine Sea.
Lt. Gen. Erickson Gloria, the AFP’s deputy chief of staff, will assume the top Wescom post on Thursday when outgoing Wescom commander Vice. Adm. Rene Medina reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.
Gloria’s designation was recommended by the AFP’s Board of Generals chaired by AFP chief Gen. Felimon Santos and subsequently approved by the President, the AFP’s commander-in-chief.
Gloria relinquished his post as AFP deputy chief of staff to AFP inspector general Lt. Gen. Antonio Ramon Lim on Tuesday in rites presided over by Santos at Camp Aguinaldo. Lim will occupy the post in an acting and concurrent capacity.
Santos congratulated Gloria for his new designation and told him that Camp Aguinaldo “will always be your home” and the office of the AFP deputy of staff “will always be your family.”
As Wescom commander, Gloria will supervise all military operations in Palawan and in the West Philippine Sea where the country is occupying nine isles, the largest of which is the Pagasa Island.
China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunie and Taiwan have laid claims over the areas in the WPS. China had turned aggressive in its claim over the past years and went as far as conducting massive land reclamation on several reefs.
Gloria previously served as the AFP deputy chief of staff for personnel, commander of the Air Force 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing, deputy commander of the Air Force Air Mobility Command and deputy commander of the Air Logistics Command.
He had also served as commander of the Air Force 5051st Search and Rescue Squadron based in Palawan and 5053rd Search and Rescue Squadron in General Santos City.
“Lt. Gen. Gloria is a tactical and rescue pilot and holds a command pilot rating in the Philippine Air Force,” said AFP public affairs chief Capt. Jonathan Zata.
“Early in his military career, he was awarded with different aircrew qualifications that range from pilot, element lead, flight commander, test pilot, and instructor pilot for the UH-1H and Bell 205 (helicopters),” added Zata.
Zata said Gloria also qualified as a pilot of the Sikorsky S-76A helicopter.
“He logged more than 2,500 accident-free flight hours and was likewise awarded the Command Pilot Badge for his feat,” Zata said of Gloria.
