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Saturday, July 22, 2006
Military's command in Mindanao to be divided into 2 units
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday announced the splitting of the Southern Command (Southcom) into two unified area commands to improve the military's capability in the renewed fight against the communist New People's Army (NPA).
Addressing officers and men during the assumption of Lieutenant General Hermogenes Esperon as Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief in Camp Aguinaldo, Arroyo said the measure would improve the command and control of troops in defeating the New People's Army.
In his assumption speech, Esperon said he is going to establish a new Army division in the Davao area as he identified the elimination of the communist movement as one of his priority concerns as AFP chief.
"He said there will be a new division in the Davao area but we will go beyond that, we will divide the Southern Command into two unified commands for more effective troop management and control," the President said.
Arroyo said Esperon's predecessor, General Generoso Senga, proposed the division of the Southcom into two unified area commands.
Arroyo expressed optimism that the government "shall destroy the armed capability of the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)/NPA, remove their logistics bases and dismantle their support network" with Esperon at the helm of the AFP.
The President said "military and civilian interoperability is the name of the game in fighting the communists and liberation of the rebel-infested communities from the clutches of fear."
"Those who cling to the failed ideology and impose their political will by force shall be met with counter force," said Arroyo of the communists. "Our Armed Forces are true to the mission," she added.
As the President was delivering her piece, a civilian employee of the non-records section of the Office of the Adjutant General based in Camp Aguinaldo who was seated at the grandstand heckled the President for her all-out war policy.
"We don't want war. We are running out of money but we are still gearing up for the war," said Florita Zanoni, whose tirades attracted the attention of some military officers and journalists at the grandstand.
But the scene created by Zanoni was not enough to disrupt the speech of the President. She was not accosted or questioned by the military for her act.
Zanoni's co-employees at the Office of the Adjutant General described her as "expressive" of her sentiments and is not linked to any militant groups. They said Zanoni is nearing retirement.
Esperon said the splitting of the Southcom and establishment of a new divisional headquarters in the Davao-Surigao area is part of their strategy to defeat the NPA before the President ends her term on 2010.
"Our priority will be towards complying with the directive of the President to defeat the communist terrorists within her term and so all our activities will be focused towards that," said Esperon.
Esperon noted that the area of responsibility of Southcom is characterized by the strong presence of secessionist movement, which he said, is "now under control", terrorist elements and communist rebels.
Under the plan, Esperon said the first area command in Mindanao will concentrate in addressing the terrorist threat and check on the border in the southwestern part while the other area command will be focus on the communist insurgency in the northeast area.
When asked who would be heading the other unified command in the South, Esperon said: "We will come up with the final delineation, the wordings of these have been going on under the term of General Senga."
The current Southcom commander is Major General Garbriel Habacon, who is retiring in September. Esperon downplayed speculations that the creation of the new unified area command is meant to accommodate another potential three-star general.
When asked what prompted the creation of the new area command, Esperons said: "For better control and to put more focus in the fight against the communist terrorist in the eastern part of Mindanao."
"Remember that the resources there (eastern part of Mindanao) are very critical and they contribute a lot to national economy, I'm talking in terms of the agricultural produce, plantation, etc.," he added.
Esperon said troops will be redeployed to Mindanao as a result of the splitting of Southcom and creation of a new Army division but "there will be no additional recruitments as of now but we will shift the forces as needed."
At present, there are six unified area commands, including the Southcom. The five others are Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Central, Western, and National Capital Region (NCR) commands.
Of the six unified area commands, Southcom is the largest while the NCR command is the smallest. It is in Southcom where at least 60 percent of the total strength of the 120,000-man Armed Forces are attached.
Of the nine Army divisions, three are based in Mindanao, namely the 1st, 4th and 6th Infantry Divisions (IDs). The 2nd, 5th, 7th and 9th IDS are based in Luzon while the 3rd and 8th IDs operate in the Visayas.
When asked how many officers and men would be redeployed to the South, Esperon said that would be among the issues that the AFP top brass will discuss in its first command conference he would preside later Friday.
Esperon said the split-up of the Southcom will be formalized as soon as possible, probably within the first week of August.
"He stressed that the splitting of Southcom is meant to "simply focusing" their resources and priority.
At the same time, Esperson announced the revival of the office of the deputy chief of staff for civil military operation (J7), which is one of the offices abolished on 2004 by then AFP chief Efren Abu. Abu abolished the office as part of the reforms he espoused. The other offices abolished by Abu included the office of the graft-ridden AFP deputy chief of staff for comptrollership.
"We shall reactivate the joint staff for civil military operations at general headquarters level and down the line," said Esperon. Stepped up civil military operations is among the military's strategy to defeat the insurgents.
"In order to accomplish our task (of defeating the NPA), we will rapidly build up our forces for the frontlines. We shall generate more forces by redeploying and task organizing units and raising more battalions through creative means," he said.
"The major services shall play a key role in contributing to the build-up of forces in the frontlines. Additionally, we must optimize our synergy and convergence with the Philippine National Police," Esperon added.
Esperon said he is aware of the "enormous responsibilities" he is faced with his assumption as AFP chief, specifically citing the task of crippling the communist insurgency.
"The great task falls squarely on my shoulders. There is no doubt as to the urgency of this (task) for we cannot, as a nation, afford to fight an endless war foisted by the communist terrorists," said Esperon.
He also vowed to sustain the momentum in the construction of housing units for the officers and men, featuring the segregation of parts of military camps for housing areas. He said it is only fitting to give the soldiers and their families a better quality of life, comfort and security.
"I therefore call upon all the men and women of the Armed Forces in join me and work as members of the 'Team AFP' - solid and united under the command, working together in and environment of mutual trust and confidence, defeating all forces that attempt to undermine our solidarity," said Esperon.
He also announced the promotion of 2nd ID Chief Alexander Yano as the new commander of the Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) and 4th ID Chief Cardoso Luna as Central Command (Centcom) chief.
Yano will replace Lieutenant General Pedro Cabuay, who is retiring on July 31 while Luna will take the place of Lieutenant General Samuel Bagasin, who is retiring on September 17. It was not immediately clear who would replace Yano and Luna.
He also confirmed the appointment of Major Genera; Bonifacio Ramos, commander of the 8th ID as the new Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) chief. It was not clear who would take the place of Ramos in the 8th ID.
The present Nolcom chief, Lieutenant General Romeo Tolentino had been named as the successor of Esperon as Army chief. Tolentino is assuming the top Army post Saturday in a ceremony to be held in Fort Bonifacio. (VR/Sunnex)
(July 22, 2006 issue)
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