OUTGOING President Benigno Aquino III recognized his Presidential Security Group commander and his junior aide-de-camps on his last military event as commander-in-chief on Monday.
PSG commander Rear Admiral Raul Ubando was awarded with the Presidential Medal of Merit for his service as senior military assistant to the President and later as PSG chief during the AFP’s testimonial parade and review for Aquino at Camp Aguinaldo.
“Alam niyo na rin ito: Unang linggo niya bilang bagong hepe ng PSG, napasabak na siya sa Zamboanga Siege. Pagkatapos, sumunod pa ang lindol sa Cebu at Bohol sa susunod na buwan, pagkatapos naman po ‘non baka kulang pa ang aksyon niya sinamahan na rin bagyong Yolanda. Isama pa diyan ang pagbisita ng mahal na Santo Papa at Pangulong Obama, pati na ang naglalakihang pagtitipon dito, tulad ng APEC at ng World Economic Forum,” Aquino said later in his speech.
Ubando was also given the Philippine Legion of Honor (degree of officer) for his service during the security preparations for the 2015 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation.
Presidential Medal of Merit was also given to Aquino’s junior aide-de-camps: Lt. Bryner Las, Maj. Erasmus Cagni, Ltc. Ramolete; and his senior military assistant Brig. Gen. Jose Caparas Jr.
“Siguro, ang iniisip ng iba, ang sarap ng buhay maging aide ng Pangulo. Ang di po alam ng marami, sila ang katapat at unang tagasalo ng stress, at pati na minsan, ng init ng ating ulo…Sa akin nga po, totoong nagkaroon ng sistemang may aide ang Pangulo, para tulungan sa trabaho ang nakaupo. Pero naniniwala rin ako: Sinasanay din sila kung paano magdesisyon ang mga nasa taas nila at kung paano maglatag ng mga solusyon, para pagdating ng panahon, talagang hubog na hubog na sila sa serbisyo. Kaya naman, sa lahat ng aking mga naging aide: Binabati ko kayo, at muli maraming, maraming salamat sa inyo,” Aquino said.
Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda was awarded with the Philippine Legion of Honor (degree of commander) for his service as acting AFP chief.
Also recognized in the military’s sendoff for Aquino was the Army’s 32nd Infantry Battalion, the unit that first responded during the Zamboanga siege in 2013.
“Noong pumutok ang Zamboanga Siege, sila po ay kasalukuyan dapat nagte-training doon. Bigla na lang sila ang itinalagang humarang sa masasamang balak ng rogue MNLF forces, at na-stabilize nila ang sitwasyon, habang pinapapasok ang iba pa nating units. Sa kasalukuyan, pati sa engkwentro ngayon laban sa Abu Sayaff Group, sila na naman ang pumopronta. Sabihin mang ordinaryong Infantry Battalion sila, kita naman nating lahat, talagang masigasig nilang tinutugis ang mga kalaban ng lipunan,” Aquino said.
Lt. Col. Ramon Flores, current commanding officer of the 32nd IB, received the Presidential Unit Streamer with Ribbon from Aquino.