Central Command gets new commander

CEBU - The former chief of Eastern Mindanao Command formally took over the post vacated by retired Lt. Gen. Pedro Ike I. Inserto as head of the Central Command during a turnover ceremony held at the CentCom headquarters at Camp Lapu-Lapu, Cebu City yesterday.

Maj. Gen. Armando Linsangan Cunanan, former Commander of Eastern Mindanao Command based in Davao City, said he learned about his new position only at 10 p.m. the other night.

Despite the short notice, Cunanan said he would do his best to maintain the peace and order in his area of responsibility and to make it tourist friendly and insurgency free area.

He also hopes that the personnel of CentCom would extend the same support to him as what they did with Inserto, so their accomplishments would continue to be greater.

Inserto, who retired at the age of 56, has served the Armed Forces of the Philippines for 38 years, 9 months, including his cadet years.

In his speech, Inserto said he was so thankful to former AFP chief of staff Germogenes Esperon for giving him his trust and confidence to take the responsibility as the CentCom commander.

Likewise, he is grateful to the local officials for the continuous support that they had given to the CentCom and to the “militants for making me popular.” He also thanked his wife and children for their never-ending support to him.

“Kuhang-kuha ang target namin na 100 percent. All of the 8 guerilla fronts ang na-dismantled,” Inserto said.

So far, he said that he received no formal offer yet for another position in the government so he would just rest for a while and spend more time with his family.

Inserto assumed as CentCom chief on May 16, 2008, and held the position for just eight months and 20 days before he retired.

He is the first Air Force general to take the reins of the CentCom and the seventh commander in a row after Visayas Command was renamed to Central Command in 2001.

He had held several notable positions and was a multi-awarded officer.

On the other hand, Cunanan has spent most of his military years in Mindanao, serving in various capacities after he graduated from the prestigious Philippine Military Academy in 1975 as a second lieutenant.

The most significant among his earlier posts were his stint as G3 of Presidential Security Group in August 1989 and as the leader of the military force. Through the years, he has undergone various military schoolings abroad.

Yesterday’s turnover ceremony was led by no less than AFP chief of staff Alexander B. Yano.

After the program, the Female Silent Drillers of the 710th-SPOW of the Philippine Air Force impressed those who witnessed by their silent drill exhibition.

In an interview with reporters, Yano said that their operation in Jolo, Sulu still continues as well as the efforts of other agencies to rescue the three Red Cross volunteers who were kidnapped by the militants.

He said the foreign troops are not involved in the operation because they cannot actually directly intervene in the combat action.

He said they can only be involved in indirect combat operation like providing technical support, information, and medical evacuation. — Christopher Gabriel Bonjoc/WAB   (THE FREEMAN)