Eastern Mindanao has new military commander

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The military’s Eastern Mindanao Command on Tuesday got a new commander following the retirement of Lt. Gen. Arthur Tabaquero.

In a simple turnover ceremony president over by Armed Forces chief Gen. Jessie Dellosa, Maj. Gen. Jorge Segovia relinquished his post as 10th Infantry Division commander to become Eastmincom’s third chief since the unit’s creation a few years back.

Dellosa told Segovia that “respect is earned and not demanded.”

He said the new Eastmincom chief should not be distracted by politics and should just do his job as commander of the one of country’s largest military commands.

“Focus on our peace advocacies,” Dellosa said.

The human rights group Karapatan said it was keeping a close eye on Segovia, whom it accused of having “a low regard for human rights.”

Marie Hilao-Enriquez, Karapatan chair, cited Segovia’s alleged role in the detention of the Morong 43 under the Arroyo government.

“He is also among the ‘missing’ respondents who have yet to be served a court summons several months after such was issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. The court server supposedly cannot locate the whereabouts of Segovia,” Enriquez said.