Counterinsurgency expert now leads Northern Luzon military command

MANILA, Philippines—Maj. Gen. Arnulfo Burgos Jr., known for his expertise in civil military and counterinsurgency operations, assumed leadership of the Northern Luzon command on Monday (Sept 7).

Prior to his new assignment, he led the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division based in Tanay, Rizal. His area of responsibility covered the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon (Calabarzon) region and the provinces of Marinduque, Romblon, Occidental Mindoro, and Oriental Mindoro.

Burgos, a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Maringal” Class of 1988, will now be based at Camp Aquino in Tarlac City. His area of jurisdiction now spans Northern and Central Luzon, as well as critical areas Bajo de Masinloc and Philippine Rise.

In a small turnover ceremony, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Gilbert Gapay commended Burgos for the “headways that 2ID, under your leadership, has recorded particularly in pushing the NPA terrorists’ Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee on the verge of collapse.”

Aside from counterinsurgency operations and territorial defense, Burgos said he would also give priority to “proactive disaster response, forging domestic and international alliances as well as promoting prosperity and development in the north by ensuring the security of critical infrastructures, private businesses and flagship projects.”

His other previous assignments included commander of 202nd Infantry Brigade, commander of the Army’s civil military operations group, assistant chief of staff of the Army’s civil military operations and AFP spokesperson.

Burgos replaced Lt. Gen. Ramiro Rey, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 56.

TSB