BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – The commanding general of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), Major General Aurelio Baladad, will be leaving the command after more than a year in Western Visayas.
Major General Rey Leonardo Guerrero will take over the post.
Guerrero, presently the Chief of Staff of the Philippine Army, is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Class 1984.
Baladad will take over the Eastern Mindanao Command, a composite team of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force maintaining peace and security in the eastern parts of Mindanao.
A turnover ceremony will take place in Jamindan, Capiz today (Thursday).
Baladad expressed his profound gratitude to the men and women of the 3ID for the support extended to him.
“There’s no greater accomplishment than seeing the professional growth of each and every member of 3ID since I assumed the command in July 2013,” Baladad said in an interview.
He also served as the Incident Commander during the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in November last year.
During Baladad’s stint as 3ID commander, he introduced innovations in winning the peace in Western Visayas.
A total of 68 rebels were neutralized, including five high-ranking leaders.
Under his watch, the 3ID also recovered 75 firearms, mostly high-powered.
“The deliberate engagement and strengthened partnership and collaboration of 3ID with the stakeholders have fostered the culture of peace in Panay and Negros islands,” he said./PN
