NEW PH ARMY CHIEF. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (center) leads the change of command ceremony of the Philippine Army in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Tuesday (Aug. 4, 2020). Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana (left) formally assumed as the new PA chief, replacing Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay (right), who is now Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff. (Photo courtesy of the Army Chief Public Affairs Office)
MANILA – Newly-appointed Philippine Army (PA) commander, Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, assured that troops will continue to uphold the protection of human rights in implementing the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
"I shall see to it that no soldier will abuse the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, and compel each one to exercise self-restraint and discipline in invoking and implementing the said act," Sobejana said during his assumption of command ceremony at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City Tuesday afternoon.
He added that with the recent passage of the law, operational campaigns against communist and terrorist groups will now have a legal basis.
Sobejana also lauded President Rodrigo R. Duterte and the country's defense officials for putting a premium on the modernization of the PA which will allow it to defeat security threats.
"Fortunately, the President and the defense leadership have put a premium on the Army’s modernization and capability buildup, enabling us to effectively eliminate the internal as well as the external security threats," he added.
Sobejana also reminded the entire PA that they are public servants tasked to protect and defend the country and its people.
"For us to effectively perform our wide-ranging tasks we need to steer our organization that is oriented on performance and accountability to achieve the optimum outcome," he added.
Sobejana, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1987, replaced Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, a graduate of the PMA Class of 1986, who assumed as Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff on Monday.
The new PA chief is considered as one of the country’s living heroes, being a recipient of the Medal of Valor, the highest military honor bestowed for demonstrating bravery and sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty when he fought Abu Sayyaf terrorists in 1995.
Sobejana commanded different units of the PA most notably the 1st Scout Ranger Company and the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion where both units were adjudged as Best Company and Best Battalion, respectively during his stint.
He also served as the Commandant of the Scout Ranger Training School, First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR); and as Commander of the Civil-Military Operations Group.
He later served as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, G3, PA, and then commanded the 601st Infantry Brigade, the Joint Task Force “Sulu”, and the 6th Infantry Division. In 2013, he was sent in the truce line between Syria and Israel as the first Filipino to become the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force.
Before being named as Army chief, he served as Commander of the Western Mindanao Command since June 2019.
In May 2019, Duterte awarded the Philippine Legion of Honor (Degree of Officer) to Sobejana for exceptionally meritorious performance of outstanding service rendered to the Philippine government, particularly to the AFP.
In July 2019, the first parliament of Bangsamoro Transition Authority of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) passed a resolution commending Sobejana for his unwavering support in the peace process and commitment in bringing peace in the Bangsamoro homeland. (PNA)
