Scout Ranger officer is new 6th ID chief

From Manila Business Insight (Sep 12): Scout Ranger officer is new 6th ID chief

A SCOUT Ranger officer who played a key role in preventing an escalation of hostilities between government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front forces during the Mamasapano incident in January 2015 has been named as commander of the 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao.

Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez, AFP deputy chief of staff for operations, will assume his new post today in rites to be presided by Army chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año.

Galvez, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1985, will replace Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan who was named the Army’s No. 2 man, or Army vice commander, last Thursday.

Galvez, before assuming the post of AFP deputy chief of staff for operations in October last year, was chairman of the government’s Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities, a peace mechanism established in the peace process with the MILF.

Galvez and his MILF counterpart, Rasid Ladiasan, were involved in quelling hostilities between government and MILF forces during the Jan. 25, 2015 Mamasapano incident that left 44 PNP-Special Acton Force personnel dead.

The policemen were coming from a successful operation that left Jemaah Islamiah operative Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan, killed when they were engaged by joint forces of the MILF, which signed a peace agreement with government in March 2014, and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the “timely intervention” of Galvez and his MILF counterpart “provided the much-needed relief to prevent an escalation of the incident which could have caused the reversal of the entire peace process with the MILF.”

Army spokesman Col. Benjamin Hao said Galvez “was there in the middle (of the conflict), trying to stop that Mamasapano incident.”

 Hao described Galvez as a “peace advocate” and a “combat commander” who is well-trained on operations and civil military operations.

Galvez has served as deputy commander of the military’s Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City and commander of the 104th Brigade which is fighting the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan.

Galvez is a decorated military officer. He is a recipient of numerous awards and decorations, including two Distinguished Service Stars, two Outstanding Achievement Medals, six Gold Cross Medals, and eight Bronze Cross Medals.

There is still no official word as to who will succeed Galvez as AFP deputy chief of staff for operations.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/scout-ranger-officer-new-6th-id-chief