Pacquiao promoted to lieutenant colonel in reserve force

MANILA, Philippines – Boxing champion and Sarangani congressman Manny Pacquiao was finally commissioned in the reserve force as Lieutenant Colonel, a military spokesman said on Friday.

Major Harold Cabunoc, acting Army deputy spokesman, said in a statement that the Armed Forces of the Philippines received the confirmation from the Office of the President, effective September 21. The document was signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa under the authority of the President.

“Congressman Pacquiao’s commissionship was based on the provisions of Section 44 of the Republic Act 7077 which provides that elected and appointed officials can be commissioned in the service if they are degree holders,” he said.

Cabunoc said that Colonel Regidor Dela Cruz, commander of the NCR Regional Community Defense Group, did not hesitate to endorse the nomination of Pacquiao to Brigadier General Alex Albano, who forwarded the recommendation to Army Chief Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz.

“I am very glad that the President has finally approved the recommendation that I initiated last year. I am considering this as one of my notable accomplishments as RCDG commander,” said Dela Cruz who is retiring by the end of October.

Dela Cruz will also recommend to the Army leadership for the formal donning of rank on Pacquiao’s return from his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez on November 13, Cabunoc said.

Meanwhile, Ortiz said he was proud that Pacquiao has finally been commissioned as an officer as he is “a leader and a man of influence in his own right making him as one of the first examples of heroism and love for the country.”

Pacquiao was enlisted in the Reserve Force of the Philippine Army with the rank of Sergeant on April 27, 2006 as a form of courtesy by then Colonel Alexander Yano who was a Brigade Commander in Sarangani and he was starting out with his boxing career.

He was later on promoted to the rank of Technical Sergeant on Dec. 1, 2006 and then as Master Sergeant on Oct. 7, 2007 after defeating Antonio Barrera.

He was then promoted to the rank of Senior Master Sergeant on May 4, 2009.