PNoy promotes 4 military officers

From ABS-CBN (Oct 7): PNoy promotes 4 military officers

A military officer in charge of implementing the anti-insurgency campaign of the government has earned another promotion from President Benigno Aquino III.

Armed Forces spokesman Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan said Major General Aurelio Baladad is now lieutenant general, which automatically grants him three stars.

Baladad became major general also under Aquino.

Baladad became controversial among leftists for the arrest of the so-called Morong 43. Human rights organizations insisted the 43 were health workers wrongly accused as being members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

More than a month ago, Baladad was tasked to head the Eastern Mindanao Command, considered one of the hotbeds of communist insurgency.

Besides Baladad, Aquino also promoted to lieutenant general Nicanor Vivar, commander of the Central Command, and Oscar Lopez, superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy.

Promoted from the rank of rear admiral to vice admiral is Western Command chief Alexander Lopez.

Tutaan said their promotions “will definitely redound to the accomplishment of their respective missions” under the Internal Peace and Security Plan - Bayanihan, the military’s counter-insurgency program.

“With these promotions, it is incumbent upon them to pursue the AFP transformation road map. The promotion is a calling for the respective positions that they are in,” he said.

Baladad, meanwhile, welcomed the development.

“It’s a recognition of what I have done, of what I have attained,”
he said.

Amid criticisms from leftists, he maintains the Morong 43 were members of the NPA.

He said five from the group have already returned to the government fold.

“They can attest to the fact that they are NPAs,” Baladad said.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/10/07/14/pnoy-promotes-4-military-officers