A top level
reassignment of senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is
in the offing with the scheduled retirement of two three-star Army generals
this month.
Western
Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero is reaching the
mandatory retirement age of 56 this coming Nov. 24 while Lt. Gen. Aurelio
Baladad, commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) is retiring
Nov. 22.
Guerrero is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1981 (Dimalupig) while Baladad belonged to the PMA “Sandigan” Class of 1982.
Col. Noel Detoyato, AFP-Public Affairs Office chief, described the two positions as “very vital” to the AFP’s counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism campaigns, particularly against the New People’s Army (NPA) and the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group.
The Westmincom has jurisdiction over the ASG-infested Basilan and Sulu provinces, while Eastmincom covers Caraga and Davao regions which are the remaining strongholds of the NPA.
“Those are very vital (positions because) we have a lot of combat operations (there). As of now, we have security challenges in those areas,” said Detoyato.
According to Detoyato, deliberations have been conducted by the Board of Senior Officers (Boso) of the Army and the Board of Generals (BoG) to come up with a shortlist for submission to President Aquino.
“We are not at liberty to announce it until it is signed by the President,” said Detoyato.
Dela Cruz is not a stranger to Mindanao operations, having served as brigade commander in
On the other hand, 4th Infantry Division (ID) chief Maj. Gen. Oscar Lactao and Maj. Gen. Rafael Valencia, chief of the 10th ID, both members of the PMA “Maharlika” Class of 1984, are among the contenders to replace Baladad.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/afp-top-level-revamp-looms-with-retirement-of-2-generals
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