Newsbreak: Marines, ISAFP to change guards as AFP revamp looms
GLENDA M. GLORIA
08/21/2007 | 04:08 PM
A general who converted to Islam in 1981 will be named the new commandant of the beleaguered Marines in the most massive reorganization in the Armed Forces since President Arroyo assumed power in 2001.
Marine Maj. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, current commander of the National Capital Region Command (NCR), will take over Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, incumbent commanding general of the Marines who will be transferred to the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) based in Zamboanga City.
Westmincom supervises military operations in three Muslim-dominated provinces, including Sulu and Basilan, where a total of 57 Marines had been killed in fierce gun battles with rebels in the last 40 days. The current commander there, Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, is retiring in September.
Dolorfino himself told Newsbreak about his impending appointment. He said it’s a timely reorganization, considering the need to “enhance the institutional strength" of the Marines in and outside the battlefield.
Newsbreak learned that the current chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp), Maj. Gen. Delfin Bangit, will be named commander of the Army’s 2nd infantry division based in Tanay, Rizal.
A former aide of President Arroyo, Bangit is the first in his Philippine Military Academy class (1978) to get a division command. Another member of Class 1978, Brig. Gen. Roland Detabali, was a contender for the same position; he remains as the Army’s internal auditor. (President Arroyo is an adopted member of Class 1978).
Replacing Bangit as Isafp chief is Maj. Gen. Arsenio Arugay, a longtime intelligence officer who is at present commander of the Army’s 9th infantry division based in Bicol.
Three other area commands will get new commanders: Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Obaniana will head the Southern Luzon Command; Maj. Gen. Victor Ibrado will command the Central Command in the Visayas; Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna will be the chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command.
The current 2nd infantry division commander, Maj. Gen. Fernando Mesa, will replace Dolorfino at the NCR Command.
They will assume their posts after the retirement on Friday of Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino.
Replacing Tolentino will be Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano, the current commander of the Southern Luzon Command.
The massive reshuffle was triggered by the retirement this month and next of three generals with three stars: Tolentino, Cedo, and Lt. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos, recently retired commander of the Northern Luzon Command. Ramos has been replaced by Maj. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang.
‘The revamp will cascade down the brigade level," says a senior officer. The reorganization will also affect staff positions since it is expected that key commanders will bring in their own key staff officers with them.
It likewise comes at a difficult time for the Armed Forces, which has suffered the most number of casualties in the Mindanao battlefield in recent memory.
Particularly crucial are the appointments of Yano and Dolorfino, who will be heading the Army and the Marines, respectively.
Born in Zamboanga del Norte, Yano is a well-liked commander. Known for his fairness, he is tested both in combat and civilian relations.
Yano had served in combat positions in Mindanao and Luzon. At one time, he headed the military’s Civil Relations Service. In 2004, he was chair of the government’s committee on the cessation of hostilities under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process. He also once headed the general court martial that is hearing the case of the Oakwood mutineers.
Dolorfino, on the other hand, is a known peacemaker. He told Newsbreak today that the Marines may have to revisit some of its doctrines that are hampering their operational capabilities.
Early this year, Muslim rebels held Dolorfino in their camp in Sulu after negotiations with them over local issues broke down. He was dispatched at the time by Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. as the military’s peace emissary with renegade leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front.
Dolorfino’s biodata states: “He is a proponent of military operations other than war. As such, he actively promotes bridging leadership as a means for peaceful conflict resolution. Rather than a peacemaker, he prefers to be called a conflict manager." - Newsbreak
Marine Maj. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, current commander of the National Capital Region Command (NCR), will take over Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, incumbent commanding general of the Marines who will be transferred to the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) based in Zamboanga City.
Westmincom supervises military operations in three Muslim-dominated provinces, including Sulu and Basilan, where a total of 57 Marines had been killed in fierce gun battles with rebels in the last 40 days. The current commander there, Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, is retiring in September.
Dolorfino himself told Newsbreak about his impending appointment. He said it’s a timely reorganization, considering the need to “enhance the institutional strength" of the Marines in and outside the battlefield.
Newsbreak learned that the current chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp), Maj. Gen. Delfin Bangit, will be named commander of the Army’s 2nd infantry division based in Tanay, Rizal.
A former aide of President Arroyo, Bangit is the first in his Philippine Military Academy class (1978) to get a division command. Another member of Class 1978, Brig. Gen. Roland Detabali, was a contender for the same position; he remains as the Army’s internal auditor. (President Arroyo is an adopted member of Class 1978).
Replacing Bangit as Isafp chief is Maj. Gen. Arsenio Arugay, a longtime intelligence officer who is at present commander of the Army’s 9th infantry division based in Bicol.
Three other area commands will get new commanders: Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Obaniana will head the Southern Luzon Command; Maj. Gen. Victor Ibrado will command the Central Command in the Visayas; Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna will be the chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command.
The current 2nd infantry division commander, Maj. Gen. Fernando Mesa, will replace Dolorfino at the NCR Command.
They will assume their posts after the retirement on Friday of Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino.
Replacing Tolentino will be Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano, the current commander of the Southern Luzon Command.
The massive reshuffle was triggered by the retirement this month and next of three generals with three stars: Tolentino, Cedo, and Lt. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos, recently retired commander of the Northern Luzon Command. Ramos has been replaced by Maj. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang.
‘The revamp will cascade down the brigade level," says a senior officer. The reorganization will also affect staff positions since it is expected that key commanders will bring in their own key staff officers with them.
It likewise comes at a difficult time for the Armed Forces, which has suffered the most number of casualties in the Mindanao battlefield in recent memory.
Particularly crucial are the appointments of Yano and Dolorfino, who will be heading the Army and the Marines, respectively.
Born in Zamboanga del Norte, Yano is a well-liked commander. Known for his fairness, he is tested both in combat and civilian relations.
Yano had served in combat positions in Mindanao and Luzon. At one time, he headed the military’s Civil Relations Service. In 2004, he was chair of the government’s committee on the cessation of hostilities under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process. He also once headed the general court martial that is hearing the case of the Oakwood mutineers.
Dolorfino, on the other hand, is a known peacemaker. He told Newsbreak today that the Marines may have to revisit some of its doctrines that are hampering their operational capabilities.
Early this year, Muslim rebels held Dolorfino in their camp in Sulu after negotiations with them over local issues broke down. He was dispatched at the time by Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. as the military’s peace emissary with renegade leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front.
Dolorfino’s biodata states: “He is a proponent of military operations other than war. As such, he actively promotes bridging leadership as a means for peaceful conflict resolution. Rather than a peacemaker, he prefers to be called a conflict manager." - Newsbreak
