President Aquino presides over Testimonial
Review in honor of outgoing AFP Chief of Staff Dellosa at Camp Aguinaldo,
Quezon City
President Benigno S. Aquino III presided over
the Testimonial Review in honor of outgoing Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP) General Jessie D. Dellosa, who relinquished his post
to Lieutenant General (Lt. Gen.) Emmanuel T. Bautista, in a simple ceremony
held at the AFP General Headquarters, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon
City on Thursday.
During the same event, the President who is also
AFP Commander-in-Chief formally installed Lt. Gen. Bautista as the 44th Chief
of Staff of the AFP.
President Aquino conferred the Presidential
Legion of Honor with the degree of Chief Commander and citation on Dellosa. He
was assisted by Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin and Dellosa’ s wife Mary
Rose.
In receiving the award, Dellosa was cited for
his competence and leadership in the implementation of the Internal Peace and
Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan where he rallied the AFP in sustaining the gains
in internal security operations, community building and development,
organizational reform, support to peace process, territorial defense and
humanitarian and disaster response.
Dellosa, the 43rd AFP Chief of Staff, held the
AFP's top post for more than a year after assuming office on December 12, 2011.
He will be reaching his mandatory retirement age on Sunday, January 20.
During the change of command ceremony, Dellosa
also submitted to the President his tour-of-duty report before handing over the
command symbol to his successor, Lt. Gen. Bautista.
The newly-installed AFP Chief of staff had
served as the Commanding General of the Philippine Army. He had served as
Commander of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.
A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy’s
Dimalupig Class of 1981, Bautista completed his Masters in Public
Administration at the University of the Philippines, Diliman.
Compared to last year's AFP anniversary
celebration and previous change of command ceremonies, Thursday's event was
simpler as the motorized contingent and the sky diving exhibition were shelved,
along with the assets and capability demonstration.
Among those present were Vice President Jejomar
C. Binay; former President Fidel Valdez Ramos; Executive Secretary Paquito
Ochoa, Jr.; Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas;
Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya; Presidential Adviser on the Peace
Process Teresita Deles; Presidential Communications and Operations Office
Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.; Presidential Management Staff head Secretary
Julia Abad; Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Loretta Rosales; Philippine
National Police chief Police Director General Alan Purisima and Philippine
Coast Guard chief Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena.
Also in attendance were members of the
Diplomatic Corps, Cabinet Secretaries, Congressmen, Foreign Armed Forces
Attaches, former secretaries of the Department of National Defense, former
Chiefs of Staff of the AFP, officials of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy,
Philippine Air Force, and Philippine National Police, Quezon City local
government officials, veterans, and members of the AFP Affiliated Organizations
and the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1979. PND (js)
President Aquino challenges AFP to fulfill
mandate in ensuring peace and order and preserving integrity of coming
elections
President Benigno S. Aquino III challenged the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to fulfill its duty in ensuring the peace
and order and preserving the integrity of the 2013 mid-term elections in the
country.
In his speech during the Testimonial Review in
honor of former Chief of Staff of the AFP General Jessie D. Dellosa and Change
of Command Ceremony held at the AFP General Headquarters, Camp General Emilio
Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday, the Chief Executive acknowledged the
significant role of the AFP in preserving the integrity of
the country's elections.
"Ang hamon ko po sa inyo: ang AFP, kasama
ng ating kapulisan, ang may obligasyon na siguruhing maidaraos nang mapayapa at
may integridad ang darating na halalan. Nais nating mangibabaw ang boses ng
bayan, at nang hindi ito mabusalan ng armas, takot, at karahasan," the
President said.
President Aquino said he expects the AFP, now
under the leadership of Lieutenant General Emmanuel T. Bautista, to uphold the
sovereignty, support the Constitution, and defend the territory of the Republic
of the
Philippines against all enemies.
"Saligang Batas ang dapat ninyong kilingan;
taumbayan ang dapat ninyong panigan. Pangalagaan ninyo ang karapatan ng mamamayan
na malayang makapili ng kanilang mga pinuno. Ang gusto natin: tapat, patas, at
naaayon sa batas ang darating na eleksyon mula sa kampanya hanggang sa
proklamasyon ng mga bagong pinuno," he said.
With the signing of the Revised Armed Forces of
the Philippines Modernization Act last December, President Aquino expressed
confidence that the AFP can now better perform its mandate of upholding the
sovereignty and defending the territorial integrity of the country at all
times.
"Kaya nga po, sa pagsasabatas ng New AFP
Modernization Act, pitumpu’t limang bilyong pisong paunang pondo ang ilalaan
natin sa ating Tanggulang Pambansa sa susunod na limang taon. Bukod pa ito sa
dalawampu’t walong bilyong pisong pondo na nailaan na para sa modernisasyon ng
AFP sa ilalim po ng ating administrasyon. Ikumpara natin ito sa tatlumpu’t
tatlong bilyong pisong ginastos para sa modernisasyon sa loob ng labinlimang
taon bago tayo manungkulan," he noted.
"Dagdag pa sa mga makabagong kagamitan
tulad ng mga helicopters, mga modernong barko, at armas, nariyan din ang handog
nating disente at abot-kayang mga tahanan. Aabot na nga po sa humigit-kumulang
53,000 housing units ang maipapatayo natin ngayong taon," he stressed.
The new law is a manifestation of the
government's unwavering commitment to the AFP, the President noted.
The President also cited General Dellosa's
contributions in pursuing efforts to attain genuine peace.
"Ang nakalipas pong taon ay minarkahan ng
hamon at tagumpay para sa Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas. Nariyan ang tagumpay
ng nilagdaang Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro; sa wakas, abot-kamay na
ang inaasam nating kapayapaan sa Mindanao," he said.
"Mula sa pagpapaunlad ng inyong kakayahan,
hanggang sa pagtitiwala at pagkilala ng taumbayan sa integridad ng inyong
institusyon, nakikita na natin ang pagbabagong tinatamasa ng kasundaluhan.
Sinisimulan na nga po natin ang makabuluhang siklo ng pag-unlad. Sa paglago ng
ekonomiya, umaangat din ang kapasidad nating tutukan at tugunan ang inyong mga
pangangailangan," he said. PND (js)
