Wednesday, March 12, 2008 New 10th ID commander assures troops' loyalty
THE new commanding general of the Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division based in Panacan, Davao City assured the loyalty of his soldiers to the chain of command as he urged them to remain apolitical and professional.
In an interview after Tuesday's turnover command at the Naval Far Eastern Command headquarters in Panacan, Major General Jogy Leo Fojas said he expects his soldiers to be professional, people-oriented, and mission-oriented.
Fojas said there is no need to conduct a loyalty check among his soldiers since the very start they entered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), they have already sworn their allegiance to the Constitution.
He confirmed that there are reports of an ongoing recruitment by some retired generals on soldiers to join the destabilization effort. But he was quick to add the recruitment is not gaining ground.
Fojas said this could be due to the fact that most of the soldiers are now aware of their responsibilities and are more dedicated and loyal to the chain of command.
Fojas was formerly the AFP's chief for operations before assuming the command of the 10th ID Tuesday.
Peace talks
As new 10th ID chief, Fojas offered a localized peace negotiation to the communist rebels and other enemies of the state in an effort to settle the problem peacefully.
Fojas said he is open to a dialogue with the New People's Army (NPA) within his area of responsibility so as to avoid bloodshed.
"Our doors will be widely open for localized peace talks," the new 10th ID chief assured.
Fojas, however, warned that if the rebels would not accept his offer, the Army is also up to the challenge of defeating the rebels anytime of the day.
"We will be fearless against the enemies of the state," he said.
Fojas plans to increase the number of Special Cafgus in the provinces especially in areas where there is a strong presence of the communist rebels.
He said he would meet with the governors and mayors to discuss the matter of creating Special Cafgus in their areas to thwart rebel attacks.
Last week, NPA rebels raided the Apex Mining in Masara, Maco in Compostela Valley burning several heavy equipments and carting away firearms.
Total damage cost of the attack is P100 million.
Fojas said with the presence of Special Cafgus in lieu of the blue guards, the risk of being attacked by the rebels would be greatly decreased since Special Cafgus are better trained than the regular security guards. (BOT)
