Navy chief awarded France’s top honor

At a ceremony in the French Embassy residence in Forbes Park, France’s Ambassador Reneé Veyret, on behalf of her President Jacques Chirac, conferred on Friday night the French National Order of the Legion d’Honneur on Vice Admiral Ernesto H. de Leon, Flag Officer in Command (FOIC) of the Philippine Navy.

The ceremony was attended by National Defense Secretary Avelino J. Cruz Jr., who offered the toast honoring De Leon, and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, Gen. Narciso Abaya, as well as officers of the Philippine and the French Navies.

In her speech, Ambassador Veyret cited the fact that Admiral De Leon, since he graduated in 1990 from the Joint Defense College in Paris (Ecole de Guerre) as well as Higher Joint Services training in France, is considered "a full member of the French Defense Community."

Quoting the motto of the French Navy, capsulized in four simple words, honneur (honor), Patrie (Motherland), valour (merit) and discipline, she said the reason the French elected De Leon for "the highest French National Order" is because "for each of these essential values he is the reflection of a perfect image."

The ambassador mentioned Admiral De Leon’s key role in the widely-reported "neutralization" of the dreaded Abu Sayyaf chieftain Abu Sayyaf, among his many valiant services rendered his country.

De Leon in 1998 received the French Order National du Merite for his essential contribution in the building of bilateral RP-French defense cooperation, also from President Chirac

The Legion d’Honneur is the oldest and most respected French order, created by the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte when he was still "Premier Consul" in 1002 replacing all previous royal orders abolished by the French Revolution. The Republic has kept it as the "highest distinction" and awarded it to the man who fought during three wars, the War of 1870, World War I in 1914 and World War II in 1939-1946, as well as those French "scientists, writers, politicians who rendered services to their motherland." A select number of foreigners who significantly contributed to strengthening ties between their countries and France were also honored.

One of the honorees is Philippine STAR director and columnist Teodoro Benigno Sr., who graduated from Science Politique in France and was former bureau chief of the Agence France Presse.

Admiral de Leon, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class ’72, was promoted to Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy by President Arroyo on March 6, 2003.