MANILA, March 9 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior military aide for Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday assumed the post of intelligence chief of the military.

    Commodore Leonardo Calderon took over the chief's post of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP)from Brigadier General Marlu Quevedo, who retired on Thursday.

    Military Chief General Generoso Senga presided over the turnover ceremonies at the ISAFP gym in Camp Aguinaldo, the Armed Forces Headquarters.

    "He is a professional officer and gentleman. He will contribute professionalism to the intelligence service," military spokesman Colonel Tristan Kison said.

    Calderon took over the ISAFP at a time when the military intelligence community was besieged by allegations that it was being used for politics.

    The ISAFP was tagged as the source of the so-called "Hello Garci" wiretapped recordings indicating President Arroyo's election fraud in 2004.

    At the height of the wiretapping controversy, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced that Calderon would take over from Quevedo by October. However, for unexplained reasons, Quevedo stayed on as ISAFP chief until his retirement.   Enditem