CHANGING OF GUARD. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal, Armed Forces chief-of-staff (right) hands over to Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana the flag of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, as Lt. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, outgoing Westmincom chief, looks on, during the turnover of command held Friday at Camp Basilio Navarro in Zamboanga City. (Photo courtesy of Westmincom Public Information Office)
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has installed Friday Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana--a medal of valor recipient--to head the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), which has jurisdiction over the western part of the southern Philippines.
Sobejana, the 11th Westmincom chief, is the current commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division based in Awang, Maguindanao. He replaced Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, who vowed out of military service nine months before he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.
Sobejana is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1987 while dela Vega belongs to PMA class of 1985.
Gen. Benjamin Madrigal, AFP chief-of-staff, who presided over the turnover of command ceremony here, directed Sobejana to "fully support" the Bangsamoro Transition Authority in attaining peace and development in the area of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Madrigal also ordered Sobejana to “finish off” the problem of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits and Daesh-inspired terrorist groups.
In response, Sobejana vowed he will try to eliminate the ASG bandits “by the end of the year”, citing “that the timeline has been specified by President Rodrigo Duterte.”
“We will beef our forces in Sulu,” Sobejana said, adding: “we have a template to follow to finally to put an end to the menace of terrorism particularly in Sulu.”
Dela Vega said he decided to retire early to give the opportunity to his junior officer to lead the Westmincom, as well as spend more time with his family.
“I enjoin every soldier, sailor, marine, and airman of this Command to continuously endeavor to adhere to the interplay of security, development, and good governance as the main component of our strategic framework in addressing the different threats and threat groups confronting the region,” dela Vega said.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1073608
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