AFP pays tribute to retiring officers

In this January 5 2010 photo, Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) chief, Lt. General Roland Detabali (left) and PNP Calabarzon director Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao (right) presented to the media an alleged NPA leader, Tirso Alcantara alias “Ka Bart,” at the V. Luna Hospital, Quezon City INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines will pay tribute on Monday to retiring Lieutenant General Roland Detabali, commander of the Southern Luzon Command, at the Camp Aguinaldo Grandstand.

Detabali is retiring ahead of his original retirement on September 21. He will step down on July 16 because of attrition.

Under the military’s attrition law, a three-star general is forced into retirement if not promoted to the next higher rank three years after assuming his present post.

A testimonial parade and review will be given to Detabali, who has led Solcom since 2009.

Under his term, the provinces of Marinduque, Romblon and Cavite were declared insurgency free.

“LtGen Detabali’s outstanding performance in the fulfillment of his duties and responsibilities has indeed contributed greatly in the accomplishment of the overall AFP mission. I am confident that he will continue to inspire and empower the people he led and worked with all throughout his successful military career to become effective catalysts of development and change in the country,” AFP Chief General Jessie Dellosa said in a statement.

The replacement of Detabali has not yet been announced.

Meanwhile, two other senior officers are also facing early retirement this month because of attrition. They are Major General Josue Gaverza, Commander of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division, and Rear Admiral Emmanuel Martir, Commandant of the Command and General Staff College.

Both will step down on July 25.