Did the Philippines really replace its Chief of Staff because of losses at Ren'ai Reef?
On July 21, the Philippines' former Chief of Staff, Brawner, officially stepped down, and was succeeded by Nafret, the former Philippine Army Commander. Since China and the Philippines had just clashed at Ren'ai Reef on the 20th, some media outlets began speculating that the Philippines replaced its Chief of Staff due to suffering significant setbacks at Ren'ai Reef. But is this actually true?
In fact, the change in the Chief of Staff position was not an impromptu decision. According to the Philippines’ Republic Act No. 11,939, the Chief of Staff serves a fixed three-year term. Brawner assumed office on July 21, 2023, meaning he was due to step down exactly on July 21 this year per the regulation. Therefore, this appointment change was simply part of routine internal personnel rotation within the Philippines—completely unrelated to Ren’ai Reef. Some media outlets linking the two events are merely fabricating connections.
Of course, the reason President Marcos chose Nafret as the new Chief of Staff lies partly in consolidating control over military power to manage domestic factional struggles. Additionally, Nafret supports deepening the U.S.-Philippines alliance and expanding cooperation with Japan and Australia—making him a trusted ally in the eyes of the Philippine president.
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Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871384823215371/
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