• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the promotion of Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo to the rank of lieutenant general, as he was also designated commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines – Visayas Command, in a permanent capacity.
Arevalo, the commander of Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, yesterday confirmed his promotion to the next higher rank, effective January 13. At the same time, he is also serving as AFP Visayas Command chief in an acting capacity.
As stipulated in the provisions of RA 11709, military officials appointed to key positions will serve a fixed term of three years, except for the Philippine Military Academy superintendent, who will have a four-year tour of duty.
Arevalo is expected to benefit from the new law, as he occupies a key position in the AFP, as Visayas Command chief, which supervises two Army division units, Philippine Air Force and Navy in the region.
With his promotion, Arevalo said he is relinquishing the 3rd Infantry Division command soon. However, his successor has yet to be named.
But he said that Brig. Gen. Marion Sison, 301st Infantry Brigade commander, is up for a higher position as Assistant Division Commander of 3ID, replacing Brig. Gen. Noel Baluyan, who recently retired from the military service.
He also revealed that Col. Orlando Edralin, deputy commander of the 301st Infantry Brigade, is also up for transfer to Negros as incoming commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, which is temporarily under Col. Michael Samson.
Samson, according to Arevalo, is a strong contender for the position to be vacated by Sison as commander of the 301st Infantry Brigade, stationed in Panay Island.
Edralin and Samson are both members of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1991.
Brig. Gen. Leonardo Peña, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade stationed in Negros Oriental, is also up for promotion.
Peña and Arevalo are also members of PMA Class 1990.*
