ZAMBOANGA CITY--The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will install Tuesday, August 18, Maj. Gen. Corleto Vinluan as the new commander of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom).
Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, AFP chief-of-staff, will preside the change of command ceremony in Camp Don Basilio Navarro, which will see Vinluan's assumption as the 12th commander of Westmincom, replacing Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, who headed Westmincom since June 28, 2019, and became Philippine Army chief in July.
Vinluan is the commander of the Philippine Army’s 11th Infantry Division based in Jolo, Sulu, and the head of the Joint Task Force Sulu.
Vinluan has led significant combat operations that led to the neutralization of several Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits and foreign terrorists operating in the hinterlands of Sulu.
Among those neutralized were Abu Talha, the finance officer and liaison of the Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Sibih Pisih, an ASG sub-leader who led several kidnappings.
It was during Vinluan’s leadership that two Egyptian suicide bombers were killed who were about to execute suicidal bombing in Jolo.
On the other hand, Sobejana, a Medal of Valor awardee, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1987 while Vinluan belongs to the PMA class of 1988.
Sobejana, earned his Medal of Valor as a newly-minted Captain in 1995 when the Scout Ranger platoon he was leading engaged a group of 20 Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan province. Abu Sayyaf reinforced its numbers until Sobejana's unit was facing approximately 150 bandits during the fight.
Sobejana’s right arm was almost severed after he sustained two bullet wounds on his right forearm. He had to bite his right thumb to keep the arm from falling off. A third bullet wrecked his rifle.
He then switched to firing left-handed while giving his men directions. The firefight ended after four hours with Sobejana wounded three more times.
He refused to have his right arm amputated and has undergone surgeries abroad to reconstruct his right arm.
Since then, he became known as the only military officer rendering a left-hand salute and shake hands. (PNA)
