M'sapano general promoted

From The Standard (Sep 20): M'sapano general promoted

A CONTROVERSIAL general of the infamous Mamasapano massacre has been promoted barely two months before his mandatory retirement.

Just recently, Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan was designated Army vice commander after the mandatory retirement of Maj. Gen. Rodolfo Demosthenes Santillan. Both officers are members of the Class of 1983 in the Philippine Military Academy.

Pangilinan, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division before he was designated to his new position, is set to retire in less than two months when he reaches the age of 56.

Pangilinan became controversial when he refused to order his men to fire 155mm and 105mm Howitzer canons on the Moro rebels’ positions, which could have minimized the casualties of the members of the  Police’s Special Action Force in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

The clash between the Moros and the SAF men resulted in the death of 44 SAF commandos.

A source says when Pangilinan retires, he will be replaced by 1st Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Gerardo Abarientos, who is also a member of the PMA Class of 1983.

Pangilinan was replaced by Maj. Gen. Charlie Galvez, former deputy chief of staff for Operations or J3 and a member of the PMA Class of 1985.

Brig. Gen. Noel Clement, also a member of the PMA Class of 1985, was designated J3.

Clement also became controversial after he was linked to the abduction of activist Jonas Burgos, who remains missing.

http://thestandard.com.ph/news/-main-stories/top-stories/216672/m-sapano-general-promoted.html