3 brigadiers, 6 colonels promoted — AFP

President Arroyo promoted three brigadier generals, six colonels and four others to three-star rank, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced yesterday.

Promoted to rear admiral was AFP deputy chief of staff for plans and programs (J5), Commodore Ernesto de Leon, former head of the Naval Forces South that was responsible for the operation that resulted in the killing last June 21 of Abu Sayyaf ring leader Aldam Tilao, alias Abu Sabaya.

De Leon, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1972, is also the Philippine signatory to the controversial Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA).

Another promoted to major general was AFP deputy chief of staff for capability, materiel and technology development Cristolito Balaoing, also a member of PMA Class ’72 and former chief of the AFP Modernization Project Management Office.

Also promoted to major general was PMA Superintendent Edilberto Adan, another member of PMA Class ‘72.

Meanwhile, three Army and Air Force colonels and three Navy captains were promoted to star rank.

They were Army Brig. Gen. Eusebio Ramos, Air Force Brig. Generals Claudio Estalilia and Pedro Inserto, and Navy Captains Anselmo Legaspi, Gilmer Batestil and Margarito Sanchez.

Inserto is a member of PMA Class ’74 and currently senior military assistant of Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes.

Ramos, who entered the military by direct commission in 1970, is the commander of the Army’s 802nd Brigade.

Estalilia, a graduate of the Air Force Flying School in 1970, is the chief of the Air Force Supply Wing in Clark.

Legaspi is head of the Naval Reserve Command while Batestil is commander of the Naval Forces West, based in Palawan.

Sanchez, who was commissioned officer in 1974, is head of the Naval Construction Brigade. – Paolo Romero