RECOGNITION. Brig. Gen. Leonardo Peña (center) expresses his appreciation to partner-stakeholders during thanksgiving and fellowship on Wednesday (April 12, 2023) at Camp Leon Kilat, Tanjay City, Negros Oriental. Peña, the outgoing commander of the 302nd Army brigade, will soon be transferred to the 3rd Infantry Division in Panay. (Photo by Judy Flores Partlow)
DUMAGUETE CITY – Farmers and civil society groups, private individuals and members of the media were recognized on Wednesday for their contribution in pursuing peace and security in Negros Oriental.
The Philippine News Agency and this reporter were among those recognized by the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade during a fellowship and thanksgiving dinner at Camp Leon Kilat in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental as its commander, Brig. Gen. Leonardo Peña, is about to leave his post which he held for more than two years.
In his message, Peña said the two years and six months of his assignment as brigade commander saw several challenges, both man-made and natural, that were addressed by both the uniformed services and the civilian sector.
These included the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in December 2021, the March 4 mass shootings in Pamplona town where Gov. Roel Degamo and eight others were killed and 17 others injured, and the fight against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
He said the Degamo assassination was the biggest hurdle he had to overcome, which the government was able to solve following the arrest of the suspects and the filing of cases against them, and the recovery of firearms, explosives and ammunition.
When he first assumed the brigade commander post in October 2020, Peña recalled making a commitment that he would be a “team player” in achieving peace and progress in the province.
“I also mentioned that peace requires the integration of military and non-military solutions, leaving no sector behind. With this in mind, I suggested that convergence and harmonization of our efforts are necessary among government agencies and partner stakeholders to realize inclusive peace initiatives and community support programs,” he said.
Beyond mission-related activities, there were also collaborative efforts, such as youth empowerment activities, that the brigade and its subordinate units engaged in during his tenure, he added.
More importantly, Peña also noted the gains in the implementation of the whole-of-nation approach through the provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC).
He highlighted the participation of far-flung communities in the fight against the communist insurgency, saying that “we cannot truly say that we are totally successful in our efforts if low-land residents are the only ones who benefit from and enjoy peace” while the rest are left behind.
The outgoing brigade commander has expressed gratitude to partner stakeholders for collaborating to bring government services to the people.
Peña has been reassigned to the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) in Jamindan, Capiz, as deputy division commander.
Brig. Gen. Marion Sison, 3ID chief, will officiate the turnover of command ceremony at Camp Leon Kilat on Monday, April 17. (PNA)
