ZAMBOANGA CITY, 16 July 2004 — A decorated army commander, who fought separatist rebels in Central Mindanao, is most likely to be named as the next chief of the Southern Command after Lt. Gen. Roy Kyamko retires today.
Maj. Gen. Generoso Senga, commander of the 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao province, was recommended by Kyamko to replace him. The Department of National Defense (DND) also recommended Senga as the next commander of military forces in the southern Philippines.
Kyamko did not say who would succeed him, but several SouthCom officials said Senga is most likely to assume the post, being the most senior military commander in Mindanao.
Other security sources said Senga was named to replace Kyamko under General Order 751 released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yesterday.
AFP chief Gen. Narciso Abaya, himself a former SouthCom chief, is to witness the hand-over of command in Zamboanga today.
Senga led government offensives against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Abu Sayyaf forces and the Abu Sufia and Pentagon kidnap gang in Central Mindanao.
The SouthCom, which covers the entire Mindanao archipelago, is the largest military installation outside Manila.
