Eastern Visayas has new Army chief

TACLOBAN CITY — Maj. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang will assume the top post of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division in Camp Lukban, Catbalogan, Samar.

Top military officials of the Eastern Visayas command said the formal turnover is set tomorrow. AFP chief of staff Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon is expected to preside the turnover of command.

Col. Joel Cabides, 802nd brigade commanding officer, said that before his appointment Maclang was chief of the Intelligence (J-2) at the Army’s general headquarters.

To takeover his old post is a classmate, Commodore Leonardo Calderon, the incumbent ISAFP chief.

Maclang is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1976 and one of the key players in the foiled Feb. 24 coup plot against President Arroyo.

Prior to the designation of senior officers to command staff and other key military positions of the AFP in the region, two Army battalion commanders were reassigned to other commands.

Brig. Gen. Pedro Fernardo, chief of the 801st Brigade based in Burauen, Leyte, was replaced by Col. Allan Ragpala.

Among of the Army battalions affected by the revamp were the 62nd IB where its former commanding officer, Col. Reynaldo Lanuzo, is now the deputy chief of Malacañang’s military affairs, and Col. Arthur Pascua, former commanding officer the 46th IB who replaced Lanuzo.

The 46th IB based in Basey, Samar is now holding a refresher course at Camp Lukban for the new commanding officer.

Cabides said that with Maclang’s appointment, they are expecting a major accomplishment in the region as Maclang was from a branch of the AFP deemed knowledgeable in the campaign against insurgency.