MANILA, Philippines — On the eve of National Heroes Day, a lawmaker announced that he wants to rename the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines after General Antonio Luna.
Last August 20, Deputy Speaker and Rep. Johnny Pimentel (Surigao del Sur) filed House Bill 4047, a measure proposing to rename Camp Aguinaldo to Camp General Antonio Luna.
Pimentel said he wants to rename the Armed Forces headquarters after Luna since the Philippine general “has been described by historians as the most brilliant and capable of the Filipino generals during the Philippine-American War.”
HB 4047 seeks to amend Republic Act 4434 or the act that changed the name of Camp Frank Murphy to Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo. This took effect on June 19, 1965.
“Luna deserves greater recognition for his patriotism and military prowess,” Pimentel said in his explanatory note.
“Our bill seeks to honor and accord ‘The Fiery General’ the nobler distinction and prominence that he rightfully deserves,” he added.
Luna served as the Chief of Staff of the Philippine Revolutionary Army for 134 days during the Philippine-American War until his brutal assassination on June 5, 1899. He was only 32 years old.
Pimentel said Luna was credited for “bringing ‘guerrilla warfare’ into play way ahead of China’s Mao Zedong and Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh and Vo Nguyen Giap.”
He added that the Philippine general “was hailed even by the best U.S. military officers during the Philippine-American War.”
For these reasons, the lawmaker said government forces should follow Luna’s heroic deeds and legacy.
“We are counting on our bill, once enacted, to rouse all Filipinos, especially our soldiers across the three military branches – the Army, the Air Force and the Navy – to emulate and live up to Luna’s positive qualities, particularly his strong love of country and exceptional military skills,” Pimentel said.
In his proposed bill, Pimentel also proposed that “Camp Antonio Luna in the Municipality of Limay in the Province of Bataan, which is home to the Office of the Director of the Government Arsenal under the Department of Defense, shall hereafter be known and referred to as Camp Emilio Aguinaldo.”
The solon, however, clarified that the bill he filed “in no way seeks to reduce Aguinaldo, the first President of the Philippines, and the Chief of Staff of the Philippine Revolutionary Army after Luna’s assassination.”
“Aguinaldo has been fittingly honored over the years, especially with the 41.4-kilometer Emilio Aguinaldo Highway,” Pimentel explained.
He was referring to the network of primary and secondary public roads passing through the cities and municipalities of Cavite. — Rosette Adel