10 senior military officers get new assignments

MANILA, Philippines - Ten senior officers have been given new assignments in the latest wave of leadership changes in the military.

President Aquino approved their designations that took effect last March 28.

Maj. Gen. Benito de Leon has been appointed commander of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division based in Isabela while Maj. Gen. Gamaliel Cruz has been named chief of the Army Support Command.

Brig. Gen. Ivan Samarita will assume as chief of the Army Training and Doctrine Command while Brig. Gen. Vic Castro was tasked to head the Office of Legislative Affairs.

Brig. Gen. Rafael Valencia has been appointed chief of the Armed Forces Resource Management Office while Brig. Gen. Glorioso Miranda has been named chief of the Army’s 7th division based in Nueva Ecija.

Before his appointment as 7th division chief, Miranda served as camp commander of Camp Aguinaldo general headquarters. Miranda will be succeeded by Col. Arthur Ang.

Brig. Gen. Victor Bayani is the new deputy chief of staff for logistics, a post that oversees the acquisition and delivery of the military’s supplies.

Col. Angelito de Leon has been designated chief of the Armed Forces Command Center and Col. Rodel Alarcon chief of the Army’s 202nd Brigade.

Meanwhile, Army chief Lt. Gen. Hernando Iriberri has been promoted to three-star general less than two months after he assumed the post.

Iriberri received his third star in a ceremony yesterday at Camp Aguinaldo.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Iriberri’s former immediate superior, pinned the rank on his shoulders.

Iriberri served as senior military adviser of Gazmin who assumed as defense chief in 2010.

A member of Philippine Military Academy class of 1983, Iriberri was designated as Army chief on Feb. 7, 2014.

“While rank has its own privileges, it also conveys greater responsibilities that must be fully embraced. Wearing it means more than just prestige; it also means venturing into a future of more intricate challenges,” Iriberri said.

Two senior Army officers were also promoted to brigadier general.

Getting their first star were Brigadier Generals Inocencio Mayangao and Carlito Galvez Jr.

Mayangao is commander of the 502nd Infantry Brigade while Galvez is chief of the 104th Brigade.