Kalinaw News: 5ID Commander gets another star

Posted to Kalinaw News (Nov 24, 2020): 5ID Commander gets another star



CAMP MELCHOR F DELA CRUZ, Upi, Gamu, Isabela – The Commander of 5th Infantry Division, Philippine Army got another star for his dedication to service in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte approved the Commission on Appointments’ confirmation of nomination to the next higher rank of MGen Laurence E Mina PA effective September 30, 2020.

The Startroopers tendered Arrival Honors just today for MGen Mina since he first attended to the needs of the people in Cagayan Valley and Cordillera Region who were struck by typhoon Ulysses.

The promoted Commander thanked the men and women of 5ID, and the people behind his success, for their endless support that gave him determination and inspiration in fulfilling his oath. “Rest assured that the additional star on my shoulder will serve as an inspiration to do more and to fight harder. The Star Division and the Startroopers will shine endlessly in any endeavor as we perform our duties and responsibilities for the people of Regions 02 and Cordillera.”

MGen Mina is a member of Philippine Military Academy “Bigkis Lahi” Class of 1990. After his graduation from PMA, he was deployed in Region 2 where he almost paid the ultimate sacrifice in an encounter against the CPP-NPA terrorists in Barangay Dicamay 1, Jones, Isabela. He was severely wounded in that encounter that the locals thought he died. The residents even named the encounter site as Mina Hill.

He was assigned as platoon leader in 17th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army which he eventually commanded as the Battalion Commander. During his stint, the 17IB was awarded as the best Battalion of 5ID in year 2014. He composed the “Do or Die” Battalion Hymn.

After his term as Battalion Commander, he was designated as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (G3) in Headquarters 5ID. He was later assigned to offices in higher headquarters. He was later tapped to be the Chief of Staff of 5ID from February 16 to November 19, 2018.

On November 19, 2018 to July 14, 2020 he served as the Brigade Commander of 502nd Infantry Brigade based in Echague, Isabela where he led the dismantling of two major Guerilla Fronts of the Communist Terrorist Groups particularly the Southern Front Committee and Central Front Committee both of Komiteng Rehiyon – Cagayan Valley (KR-CV).

On July 14, 2020, he took command of the 5th Infantry Division, Philippine Army wherein he maintains an aggressive stance against insurgency as reflected by the continuous accomplishments of the Division, from the discoveries of arms cache to the successive surrender of members of New People’s Army and its sympathizers. The withdrawal of support of the residents in the insurgency-influenced communities is just one of the manifestations that the implementation of the Whole-of-Nation Approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) in the area is continuously gaining success.

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