Anti-coup unit has new commander

Marine Brig. Gen. Mohammad Benjamin Dolorfino took over the helm of the National Capital Region Command (NCRCom), the military unit primarily tasked to secure Malacañang and vital installations in Metro Manila against coup attempts.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon officiated the turnover of command from Maj. Gen. Juanito Gomez to Dolorfino at the unit’s headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City yesterday.

Gomez was appointed commander of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division at Palayan City in Nueva Ecija following the retirement of Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan last Monday.

In his speech, Dolorfino said he is aware of the task of defending the seat of the national government from the enemies of the state.

"As such, the National Capital Region has the distinction of being the ultimate battlefield," Dolorfino said.

"It is where military defenses must be at the strongest and impenetrable. The expectations are high and there is no room for failure. I am accepting squarely the authority, responsibilities and accountabilities," he said.

Dolorfino admitted a tough assignment in securing Metro Manila unlike his previous posting in Mindanao.

"There, (in Mindanao) the enemies look like any other civilian, but equally armed and dangerous as their counterparts in the countryside who are uniformed and armed," Dolorfino said in referring to rebel soldiers.

Dolorfino said he has the entire AFP as a backup force in case his mission of securing the defense of Metro Manila is about to falter.

"When everything else fails, we reserve the use of overwhelming military force to protect the seat of national government. Our success rests in preventing and preempting this from happening," he said.

A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1976, Dolorfino was the deputy commander of the now defunct Southern Command from Nov. 22, 2005 until it was deactivated and split into two commands last month.

Dolorfino also served as Task Force Ranao chief and deputy commander of the Western Mindanao Command.

He served as chairman of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (ADJAG) tasked to prevent further hostilities between the military and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), now in peace negotiations with the government.