Abu hunter is new Joint Task Force-NCR chief

Joint Task Group Commander Col. Alan Arrojado briefs AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. about the current situation in Sulu in this March 4 file photo. AFP Public Affairs Office PHOTO

Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, a Philippine Army veteran in operations against Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, has been named as the new commander of the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR).

Brig. Gen. Jesus Mananquil relinquished his post to Arrojado on Wednesday in a turnover ceremony held at JTF-NCR headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo.

Prior to his latest designation, Arrojado was the deputy commander of the Central Command based in Cebu.

He served as commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu, where he led the operations against the Abu Sayyaf group for almost two years.

He was pulled out of his assignment in Abra in late 2014 to become Sulu commander. He was sacked mid-2016 amid a string of kidnappings and intensified operations against the bandit group.

READ: Sulu commander relieved amid intensified ops vs Abu Sayyaf

As the new JTF-NCR, he will head a brigade-size task force in Metro Manila composed of units from the Army, Navy, and Air Force based at Camp Aguinaldo, the military’s main headquarters.

Arrojado told reporters that his new assignment is an “urban jungle” compared to his “jungle” assignment in Sulu.

“We are prepared for that. We have to adjust through the lessons learned in Marawi…And of course with the other happenings around the world, may lone wolf, ganyan, we are preparing for contingencies,” he said.

Arrojado was referring to the Marawi siege, which challenged soldiers used to jungle warfare into fighting in an urban setting. /jpv

He is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1984. /jpv

RELATED STORY

Arrojado served with distinction in drive to crush Abu Sayyaf – AFP