A MILITARY officer and a survivor of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has relinquished his post in the Army’s 1st Infantry Division (1ID), after he was promoted to a higher rank.
Colonel Froilan Labador, after a two years stint as Service Support Battalion commander, handed over the command to Lieutenant Colonel Abdelhalim Sakilan through a video teleconference Friday in Camp Sang-an that houses the division headquarters in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur.
In a separate venue, Labador was televised live at the camp quarantine facility while Sakilan, and Colonel Pompeyo Jason Almagro, 1ID chief-of-staff, who presided the turnover of command, were at the headquarters’ function hall.
Almagro has been tasked to represent Major General Generoso Ponio, commander of the 1ID, during the turnover of command.
Captain Clint Antipala, 1ID information officer, said Saturday that Labador still has to stay for 14 days in compliance with the guidelines and protocols of the Inter-Agency Task Force.
Antipala said Labador was infected by the dreaded virus the first week of March, healed and was tested negative in April.
Later on, Labador was reinfected with Covid-19 and was readmitted at the Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center in Pagadian City.
He again tested negative on the latest reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test in May.
Antipala said Labador has thanked the command of the 1ID for the trust and confidence entrusted to him and the unparalleled support even on the downside of his health condition.
“Despite my health status and even if we were not in the forefront, our unified efforts, with the best of our abilities, we've provided essential Logistic Service Support to the troops and units of the Command,” Antipala quoted Labador as saying.
Labador also thanked his personnel who remained loyal and professional on their sworn duties.
Labador is one of the Army officers recently promoted from the rank of Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Meanwhile, Sakilan, the incoming battalion commander, expressed his commitment and dedication to duty to ensure the accomplishment of goals.
Ponio, in a message read by Almagro, has thanked and congratulated Labador for his contributions to the 1ID, the premier unit of the Philippine Army.
“You have done your part and have immensely played a vital role in the attainment of the Division's mission. You remained strong and determined to beat the Covid-19 and professionally continued your responsibilities as the commanding officer of the Service Support Battalion,” Ponio said in a statement.
He urged the troops to support the new battalion commander in all his undertakings. (SunStar Zamboanga)