Philippine Marine Corps has new commandant

FILE PHOTO: Camp Aguinaldo, General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. (Photo from Radyo Inquirer)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – A Mindanaoan is now the new Philippine Marine Corps Commandant in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Major General Arturo Rojas received the official appointment from Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr., transmitted to him by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin last April 25.

“This new appointment really is an answered prayer,” Rojas told the Inquirer through Messenger.

“This is every Marine officer’s dream. But the journey to this position is not a walk in the park. I have worked so hard to prepare myself to be one of best since joining the Philippine Marines 33 years ago in 1990,” he added.

Rojas consistently followed the career ladder of a marine officer.

“I completed all billets from platoon, company, battalion, group and brigade level. I hold two Master’s degrees on top of the required professional military education courses. I spent most of my deployments in Southern Mindanao. Thus, I believe I am prepared to assume the duties and responsibilities of the commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, which is truly a demanding one,” he said.

As the new commandant, Rojas said he would be responsible for preparing marine forces to support the requirements of the Unified Commands.

“The overwhelming show of support that I continue to receive since the day that the appointment went out is truly inspirational. I would use this to be able to muster all I can to deliver all mandated tasks.”

Rojas was born in Koronadal, South Cotabato on May 28, 1968 and entered the Philippine Military Academy in 1986. He belongs to the PMA Class Bigkis Lahi of 1990.

After his graduation, he joined the Philippine Marine Corps and spent the early part of his military career with the Marine Battalion Landing Team 3 (MBLT3), the MBLT9 and the 61st Marine Force Reconnaissance Company.

He specialized in special operations during his deployment in the provinces of Sulu, Bulacan, Quezon, Basilan, Kalinga Apayao, and in the cities of Zamboanga and Cotabato.

He was trained and completed courses in basic airborne, jumpmaster, scuba diving, scout ranger, intelligence, explosive and ordnance, sure shock urban, jungle environment survival, force reconnaissance and officers’ psyops.

Following his completion of the company commander’s billet in 1997, he spent three years with the Department of National Defense (DND) as security officer and aide-de-camp of Secretary Fortunato Abat and Secretary Orlando Mercado.

After his stint in the DND, he was deployed in the United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor in 2000.

Rojas was deployed as Marine Special Operations Group commander from 2014-2016 and later as 2nd Marine Brigade deputy commander from 2016-2017, as deputy commander of Western Mindanao Command in 2021-2023.

Later, he became the acting commander of Westmincom. He was the commander of the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) when he received the appointment as the new commandant.

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JPV