Army confirms appointment of Baladad to key post in Western Visayas

Brigadier General Aurelio Baladad (L) INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Army leadership on Monday confirmed the appointment of an Army general facing charges of illegal arrest and alleged torture of suspected communist rebels called the “Morong 43” to a key post in Western Visayas.

“Si General Baladad hindi sya bibigyan ng key position kung hindi siya upright,” Army chief Lieutenant General Noel Coballes told reporters when asked to confirm the appointment of Brigadier General Aurelio Baladad as the incoming commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division which supervises the internal security operations in Western Visayas.

The orders signed by President Benigno Aquino III were in effect last June 20.

“You don’t expect them to agree with us because normally they are the ones being threatened, sila yung kalaban normally mago-oppose talaga ’yan. Nakakita ka ba ng kalaban na pumayag sa gusto mo, saka nago-oppose dahil kalaban e. You don’t expect any positive statement from the enemy,” Coballes said in reaction to criticisms on Baladad’s appointment.

Baladad, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1982, was then a colonel when he headed the Army’s 202nd Brigade in capturing 43 suspected communist rebels in Morong town in Rizal. The captured persons, who claimed they were health workers, were later called the “Morong 43.”

Government security forces claimed they recovered subversive documents and firearms and accused the supposed health workers of making bombs.

Five of the health workers admitted they were NPA members and availed themselves of the government’s amnesty program. Last year, six of them reportedly rejoined their armed comrades. The rest were released after the government withdrew the charges against them.

Eight of the suspected rebels filed torture charges against former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and police and military officials. The complaints remain pending before local courts.

In the order papers seen by INQUIRER.net, Baladad, the current Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, will be replaced by Brigadier General Rodelio Santos, a member of the PMA Class 1983.

Baladad will replace Major General Jose Mabanta, who retired from service last June 19. Turnover rites may be held this week. The current acting 3ID Commander is Brigadier General Jonas Sumagaysay.