'Matikas' Class 83 leads Mindanao Armed Forces

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 31): 'Matikas' Class 83 leads Mindanao Armed Forces

CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan De Oro City -– The “Matikas” Class ’83 of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) now heads the four major infantry divisions of the Philippine Army in Mindanao, a statement from the army’s 4th Infantry Division said on Thursday.

It said that Brig. General Gerry Barrientos, took the command as division commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division at Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga Del Sur on July 2, 2014.

The 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division at Camp BGen Siongco, Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao is now under BGen Edmundo Pangilinan, who was designated as division commander last May 26, 2014 and in-charge in the central part of Mindanao.

The Fourth Infantry (Diamond) Division based at Camp Evangelista, Patag, here is under the leadership of Maj. General Ricardo R. Visaya, who took the command on April 26, 2013.

Maj. Gen. Eduardo M. Año, another “Matikas” Class of 1983, was installed commander of the 10th Infantry (Agila) Division based at Camp Gen Yan Sr., Brgy. Tuburan, Mawab, Compostela Valley on July 25, 2014. The army’s 10th ID also covers the Southeastern Mindanao region.

Prior to his designation as the division commander of Army’s 10th ID, Año served as the chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP).

In his statement, Visaya said, that “three of my classmates are now leading the other three divisions here in Mindanao which means easier, closer and faster coordination regarding military operations in the island that would be more effective in the conduct of Internal Security Operations.”

Since the implementation of the Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) “Bayanihan” in 2010, the four army divisions in Mindanao have been winning the peace among conflict areas through the “Bayanihan” spirit, Visaya said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=668225