Protest raised versus general

From the Visayan Daily Star (Jul 5): Protest raised versus general

Brig. Gen. Aurelio Baladad has yet to assume command of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division in Western Visayas, but his impending assignment in the region has already drawn a protest from the National Union of People’s Lawyers.

Baladad already has an order from the Armed Forces of the Philippines to assume command of the 3rd Infantry Division, which is now temporarily commanded by general-officer-in-charge, Brig. Gen. Jonas Sumagaysay, a military source at Camp Aguinaldo confirmed yesterday.

However, the date of his assumption as 3ID chief is not yet known. The 3ID supervises the internal security operations in Negros and Panay islands.

Edre Olalia, secretary general of the NUPL, said in a media interview that human rights violations committed by the military seem to be of no great concern for the government with the appointment of Baladad to a key command post in Visayas, despite of human rights cases filed against him, citing what he claimed the “illegal arrest” of health workers known as the “Morong 43” in Rizal, in previous years.

Baladad, the outgoing AFP deputy chief of staff for Operations, was the commanding officer of the Army’s 202nd Infantry Brigade, that had arrested the 43 suspected communist rebels in Morong, Rizal, three years ago.

Olalia, who expressed alarm over the promotion of Baladad, said “In this country, you get promoted and assigned to a top post even if you face a hitherto unresolved string of credible charges of human rights violations.” He also said that sends a clear message: that it does not matter.

Baladad is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1982. Another PMA Class 1982 member, Brig. Gen. Jet Joel Velarmino, who is the Army chief of staff is reportedly vying for the position of commanding general of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division in Mindanao. He used to be assigned in central Negros as commander of the defunct 6th Special Forces Battalion.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2013/July/05/topstory6.htm