Sobejana in, Gapay out (Bilang AFP chief of staff)

ITINALAGA ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang isang medal of valor awardee bilang bago at ika-siyam na Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff ng kanyang administrasyon.

Inihayag ni Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, si Philippine Army commanding general Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana ang bagong pinuno ng AFP kapalit ni  Gen. Gilbert Gapay na nakatakdang magretiro sa susunod na linggo.

“We are confident that General Sobejana will continue to modernize our military and undertake reform initiatives to make the armed forces truly professional in its mandate as the protector of the people and the State,” ani Roque sa isang kalatas.

“We wish General Sobejana all the best in his new tour of duty as we pray for his success,” dagdag ni Roque.

Nagtapos si Sobejana sa Philippine Military Academy Class ‘87, ginawaran ng medal of valor – ang pinakamataas na karangalan sa militar dahil sa ipinamalas na tapang sa pakikipagsagupa sa mga teroristang Abu Sayyaf sa Basilan noong 1995.

Sa rami ng balang tumama ay muntik maputol ang kanan braso ni Sobejana.

Naging commander siya ng 1st Scout Ranger Company, 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion, 601st Infantry Brigade, 6th Infantry Division at ng Western Mindanao Command.

Nagsilbi rin si Sobejana bilang commandant of the Scout Ranger Training School at commander civil-military operations group ng Phil. Army at ng Joint Task Force Sulu.

(ROSE NOVENARIO)