Kyamko bids goodbye as chief of Southcom

CAMP ABUBAKAR, Maguindanao — Outgoing Southern Command (Southcom) chief Lt. Gen. Roy Kyamko, one of the key planners of the restoration of government control over this former guerrilla bastion in 2000, bade his subordinates here an emotional farewell yesterday and urged them to continue supporting the Mindanao peace process.

In 1999, officials of Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao named a former camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in their municipality as "Barangay Kyamko" in recognition of his role, while commander of the Army’s 301st Infantry Brigade, in driving away Moro rebels and members of the Pentagon kidnap-for-ransom gang from the area.

Due to retire next month, Kyamko first heard a special Mass at the chapel of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Datu Odin Sinsuat town before touring the projects here of the 603rd Infantry Brigade and the 54th Engineering Brigade.

The two brigades are involved in various rehabilitation projects for guerrillas now peacefully tilling their lands in this once impregnable showcase of the MILF’s concept of a puritan Islamic community.

Kyamko was deputy commander of the 6th ID when Army and Marine combatants dismantled all MILF checkpoints along the Secretary Narciso Ramos Highway and subsequently, hoisted the Philippine flag on the parade ground of this MILF enclave on July 9, 2000, after a three-week air, artillery and ground offensive.