Zambo siege awardee named special ops chief

From Malaya Business Insight (Apr 12): Zambo siege awardee named special ops chief

AN Army general who played a key role in quelling the Zamboanga siege by  Moro National Liberation Front fighters in September 2013 had been designated as the new commander of the Army’s Special Operations Command.

Brig. Gen. Danilo Gines Pamonag took over as the chief of the elite unit yesterday in rites presided by Army chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Ano at the SOCOM headquarters in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

Pamonag will remain as the concurrent commander of the US-trained Light Reaction Regiment, pending the appointment of a replacement at the LRR, said Army spokesman Col. Benjamin Hao.

Pamonag was the commander of the military’s Joint Special Operations Group that led the operations against hundreds of MNLF that seized Zamboanga City and held about 160 hostages as part of MNLF’s cause for independence.

Pamonag had been conferred by President Aquino with the Distinguished Conduct Star, the second highest military decoration in combat behind the Medal for Valor, for his feat during the Zamboanga siege.

The operations resulted in the death of at least 200 MNLF fighters and rescue of around 195 civilians held captive by the group. Dozens of soldiers and civilians also died in the 20-day campaign.

Pamonag is a member of the Philippine Military Academy class of 1985 and was the first Filipino awardee of the US Special Operations Command medal. 

Last year, he was selected by the Metrobank Foundation as among the Ten Outstanding Philippine Soldiers in recognition of feat during the Zamboanga siege.

“We expect Brig. Gen. Pamonag to increase the training readiness of the SOCOM. He plans to build a world-class counter-terrorist training facility,” said Hao.

Asked about the qualities of Pamonag that prompted his designation as SOCOM commander, Hao said: “Ang sabi ni CGPA (Commanding General, Philippine Army) is kanyang katapangan at pang-unawa.”

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/zambo-siege-awardee-named-special-ops-chief