Thursday, February 4, 2021

Incoming AFP chief visits 402nd Brigade in Butuan City

By Major Francisco Garello, Jr.

BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 4 – The incoming Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, visited the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade, Home of the Stingers Troopers on February 02, 2021 at Camp Romualdo Rubi, Barangay Bancasi, this city.    

A Medal for Valor awardee and the current Commanding General of the Philippine Army, Lt. Gen. Sobejana’s visit to the 402nd Brigade is his only official visit to an Infantry Brigade as he prioritized major units of the Philippine Army and as a way of looking back to the people he worked with in the past. He was accompanied by Major General Andres Centino, the Commander of the 4th Infantry Division.

“We must know how to look back, even in doing our own job. We should look back and put forward the things that we have done that resulted in a good outcome and learned lessons from our mistakes. As we move forward, we must know how to look at ourselves on how capable we are in doing our job,” Lt. Gen. Sobejana said.  

He was warmly welcomed and accorded with Foyer Honors by Brigadier General Maurito Licudine, the 402nd Brigade Commander. Also present to welcome him were the Brigade Commanders of the 401st and 901st Brigade, Brigadier General Allan Hambala and Brigadier General George Banzon, respectively, together with the Battalion Commanders and other AFP units in the Caraga region.

Lt. Gen. Sobejana during his ‘Talk to the Troops’ highlighted the need to capacitate the Army and seek partners from civilian stakeholders as peace and security is a shared responsibility. “If we wanted to get the full support and cooperation in our efforts, we must have PEACE, People Empowerment in Addressing Conflict Environment. We must empower and increase people’s situational awareness and impress upon them that in the name of public service, the soldiers are not above them or below them but instead we are beside them,” he said.

He further stressed the soldiers’ discipline and humility are of utmost importance to win the hearts and minds of the people recognizing that the insurgency problem is a propaganda war. “The more allies we have, the better chance for us to triumph battles to win the peace,” said Sobejana.

Meanwhile, BGen. Licudine also expressed his gratitude on the visit of the incoming Chief of Staff of the AFP. “It is an honor to be visited by one of the most decorated Army Officers, my mentor and a living hero who inspired every one of us here. We are the only Infantry Brigade visited by Lt. Gen. Sobejana reflecting our standard of excellence as a show window of the whole 4ID. His message is clear, we are more motivated to ensure and provide our people a community that is safe and secured. Let us remain humble and continue doing our job well,” he said.

Lt. Gen. Sobejana, a member of PMA “Hinirang” Class of 1987, was announced recently to assume the most coveted position in the military as the 55th AFP Chief of Staff and shall replace General Gilbert Gapay, who will bow out of the military service this week. (CMO, 402nd Brigade/PIA-Caraga)