Controversial official is top Army Day awardee

A controversial Army officer known for his gung-ho approach to addressing the country’s insurgency problems is this year’s top awardee when the Philippine Army celebrates its 109th anniversary tomorrow.

Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, whom leftist groups have branded as the "Berdugo ng Mindoro (Enforcer of Mindoro)," will be receiving his Distinguished Service Star from Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr. and Army chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon.

Army spokesman Maj. Bartolome Bacarro said Palparan earned the award for his stint as commander of the Samar-based 8th Infantry Division last year.

In Samar, Palparan was denounced not only by the left but also by national and local politicians for the series of disappearances and killings of New People’s Army guerrillas and their suspected communist sympathizers.

While assigned to that Eastern Visayan province, Palparan once declared that he intended to lick the insurgency problem in the island within six months to one year.

Prior to his posting in Samar, Palparan was also assigned in Mindoro island where he actively engaged communist rebels and their supporters in various ways.

He was also dispatched to Iraq to head the country’s humanitarian mission in the war-torn country. At the height of the Angelo de la Cruz abduction in mid-2004, he played a key role in the rescue of 10 Filipino truck drivers — colleagues of De la Cruz — also held by Iraqi militants.

Sharing Palparan’s Distinguished Service Star award on Monday is Col. Eduardo del Rosario, commanding officer of the 73rd Battalion based in Northern Luzon.

Also to receive the Gold Cross, the second highest award for military combat, is 1Lt. Roden Orbon, who exhibited bravery when he and a handful of men encountered some 200 Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas in Pikit, Cotabato three years ago.

The other awardees are M/Sgt. Rosa Maria Lanila (Outstanding Achievement Award), Maj. Francisco Ladrido (Gawad sa Kaunlaran), Cdt. Col. Ronnino Bungcaras, corps commander of the Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) ROTC unit (Bronze Cross Medal);

Sgt. Domingo Justo (Best Philippine Army enlisted personnel); Militiaman Leonardo Capistrano (Best militiaman of the year); MSgt. Michael Tuba (Reservist of the year); Cadet Col. JC Bonnin Sabardan (Male cadet of the year); Cadet Lt. Col. Ma. Theresa Cecilia Altamirano (Female cadet of the year); Dr. Antonieta Caga-Ramos (Army model civilian supervisor), and Janet Japita (model civilian employee).

Also to be cited are Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce Inc. and UPLB Development Communicator’s Volunteer Corps as best non-government organizations that contributed to the accomplishment of the Army’s mission. — Jaime Laude