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General in Lamitan siege gets plum post in W Visayas


An Army general who figured in the controversial escape of Abu Sayyaf bandits in Lamitan in June 2001 has been appointed commander of the 3rd Infantry Division in Western Visayas. Maj. Gen. Jovenal Narcise “quietly’ took over the post on March 15, replacing Maj. Gen. Victor Ibrado who was named commanding officer of the Army Special Operations Command (Socom) based in Nueva Ecija. Ibrado took over from Maj. Gen. Benito Ramos who reached the mandatory retirement age of 56. On the other hand, Brig. Gen. Melchor Dilodilo assumed the post vacated by Narcise, that of the Army’s chief of staff. "He is qualified for the position based on seniority and his experience as brigade commander. It (Narcise’s promotion) was deliberated by the Board of Generals," said Army spokesman Maj. Ernesto Torres. On Narcise’s role in the bungled operations against the Abu Sayyaf in Lamitan town in Basilan in June 2001, Torres said: "All of these were considered. We trust the decision of the Board of Generals." The BOG is chaired by the Armed Forces chief with the commanding generals of the three major services – Army, Navy and Air Force – acting as members. Narcise was commander of the Army’s 103rd Brigade based in Basilan when Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani occupied the Jose Torres Hospital compound in Lamitan town, bringing along with them their hostages – including three Americans – seized from the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan. Hundreds of soldiers cordoned the hospital but the group of Janjalani, still managed to flee from the compound, taking more hostages in nurses from the hospital. A subsequent Senate inquiry then recommended that Narcise be subjected to court martial proceedings. A pretrial investigation, however, cleared Narcise and the other officers of any liability for the escape of the bandits. Lamitan priest Cirilo Nacorda had claimed that the military commanders colluded with the Abu Sayyaf leading to the escape and that the officials partook in the ransom reportedly paid for the freedom of some of the Dos Palmas hostages. Narcise and his immediate superior, then 1st Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Dominguez, were relieved of their posts. After heading his second Army brigade in northern Philippines, Narcise was promoted as the camp commander of Camp Aguinaldo where he was promoted major general. Last year, he was named as Army chief of staff. - GMANews.TV

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