Sen. Vicente Sotto III (right) is congratulated by AFP chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista after being commissioned as Lieutenant Colonel in the Army’s reserve force. Photo courtesy of AFP Public Affairs Office

MANILA, Philippines—Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III has been promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Philippine Army reserve force, the military announced Friday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista and the senator’s celebrity daughter, Ciara Sotto, pinned the senator’s rank during the formal ceremonies.

Members of the senator’s family were with him during the ceremony, attended by top AFP officials at the military general headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.

AFP public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said Sotto used to hold the rank of major as a reserve officer of the defunct premartial law-era Philippine Constabulary.  Dona Z. Pazzibugan