Assumption Speech of MGEN ROMEO D LUSTESTICA AFP Commanding General 1* Infantry “Tabak” Division, PA APPROPRIATE GREETINGS. FIRSTLY, MAY | EXTEND MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO THE OUTGOING COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE 157 INFANTRY “TABAK” DIVISION, MAJOR GENERAL NEHEMIAS G PAJARITO AFP AND THE REST OF THE OFFICERS, MEN AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES FOR THE VERY WARM WELCOME THAT YOU HAVE ACCORDED ME TODAY. THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE GREAT AND AUSPICIOUS MOMENT FOR ME WHICH | SHALL CHERISH IN MY ENTIRE MILITARY CAREER IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES. COMING HERE IS INDEED LIKE A HOMECOMING FOR ME. NOT TOO LONG AGO | SERVED AS THE G3 OF THIS DIVISION AND AS THE CONCURRENT OPERATIONS OFFICER OF THE THEN JOINT TASK FORCE “TRIDENT”, THE UNIT CHARGED TO RESCUE THE SIPADAN HOSTAGES WAY BACK IN 2000. AS | LOOK AROUND UPON MY ARRIVAL, | SAW A LOT OF FAMILIAR FACES FROM AMONG THE PERSONNEL OF THIS COMMAND AND FROM AMONG OUR DISTINGUISHED GUESTS WHO ARE WITH US TODAY IN THIS MORNING'S CEREMONY. WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE AQUAINTANCES | HAD ESTABLISHED DURING THAT TIME HAVE HELPED ME IN PERFORMING THE MYRIAD OF TASKS IN DIRECTING THE OPERATIONS OF THIS DIVISION THAT SUBSEQUENTLY HELPED IN SHAPING, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, MY GROWTH IN THE MILITARY SERVICE. BACK THEN, | NEVER IMAGINED THAT ONE DAY, | WILL BE COMING BACK HERE TO ASSUME THE POSITION OF COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE 157 INFANTRY ‘TABAK” DIVISION.AT THIS JUNCTURE, PLEASE ALLOW ME THEREFORE TO EXPRESS MY MOST PROFOUND GRATITUDE TO OUR COMMANDING GENERAL, PHILIPPINE ARMY, LTGEN VICTOR S IBRADO; OUR CHIEF OF STAFF, GENERAL ALEXANDER B YANO; THE SECRETARY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE, HONORABLE GILBERTO C TEODORO AND MOST ESPECIALLY TO OUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, HER EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO FOR THEIR TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN MY COMPETENCE TO LEAD THE 1°" INFANTRY DIVISION OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY. | AM TRULY HUMBLED BY THIS SINGULAR PRIVILEGE AND HONOR, AND | HEREBY PLEDGE TO LIVE UP TO YOUR HIGH EXPECTATIONS. | ASSUME COMMAND OF THE 1%" INFANTRY DIVISION KNOWING FULLY WELL THAT MY PREDECESSOR, MGEN NEHEMIAS G PAJARITO HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB IN TRANSFORMING THE TABAK DIVISION INTO AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT FIGHTING FORCE WHICH THE PHILIPPINE ARMY CAN BE TRULY PROUD OF. THE LONG LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS DURING HIS INCUMBENCY CAN NO DOUBT ELOQUENTLY SPEAK FOR ITSELF. TO NAME A FEW, THE INTELLIGENCE-ASSISTED TACTICAL OPERATIONS OF THIS DIVISION RESULTED IN THE NEUTRALIZATION OF 134 ENEMY PERSONALITIES AND RECOVERY OF 66 FIREARMS LAST YEAR. LIKEWISE, ITS RELENTLESS COMBAT OPERATIONS RESULTED IN THE ADVANCE STAGE OF DEGRADATION OF TWO GUERRILLA FRONTS OF THE WESTERN MINDANAO REGIONAL PARTY COMMITTEE OF THE CPP/NPA/NDF, CLEARING OF 20 LMG-AFFECTED BARANGAYS AND NEUTRALIZATION OF MORE THAN 80 LMG MEMBERS. FUTHERMORE, THE CMO EFFORTS RESULTED IN THE DWINDLING SUPPORT OF THE MASSES.TO THE COMMUNIST TERRORISTS AND THE SURRENDER OF A TOTAL OF 50 OF ITS PERSONALITIES LAST YEAR. EQUALLING THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS ALREADY A GREAT CHALLENGE FOR ME AND SURPASSING THEM WOULD EVEN BE MORE DAUNTING. HOWEVER, WITH GOD'S INFINITE GOODNESS AND WITH THE HELP OF EVERY MEMBER OF THE TABAK DIVISION OFFICERS, ENLISTED PERSONNEL AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, | KNOW THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO TREAD THE WAY WHERE MY PREDECESSOR HAS LEFT OFF AND WILL RISE DESPITE THE ENORMOUS CHALLENGES POSED BY THE RAPIDLY CHANGING SECURITY ENVIRONMENT WITHIN OUR AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY. IN MORE CONCRETE TERMS, IT THEREFORE BEHOOVES UPON EACH AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE DIVISION, WITH ME ON THE LEAD, TO. CARRY ON THE TORCH OF PERSISTENTLY CONFRONTING THE REAL AND PRESENT THREATS POSED BY THE ENEMIES OF THE STATE OPERATING WITHIN OUR AREA OF OPERATIONS NAMELY; THE LAWLESS MILF GROUPS, THE ABU SAYYAF GROUP, JEMAAH ISLAMIYAH AND THE COMMUNIST TERRORISTS. WITH THIS IN MIND, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO SHARE WITH YOU THE CORE PRIORITIES THAT SHALL DEFINE MY TOUR OF DUTY AS THE COMMANDING GENERAL OF THIS DIVISION AND WHICH ARE ALL IN LINE WITH THE COMMAND GUIDANCES OF OUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, THE CSAFP AND THE CGPA. FIRSTLY, AS THE GOVERNMENT HAS EXTENDED ITS HANDS OF PEACE TO SEEK A POLITICAL AND PEACEFUL SOLUTION WITH THE MILF AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE ARE DUTY BOUND TO UPHOLD THE PRIMACY OF THE PEACE PROCESS WITH THE MILF. HOWEVER, FOR THOSE