General in ‘torture’ of Morong 43 promoted

MANILA, Philippines - Twelve Army senior officers, including a general tagged in the alleged torture of the so-called Morong 43 group, have been promoted.

Among those promoted was Maj. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, chief of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, a unit involved in the relief operations in areas hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Baladad was among the officers accused of robbery and torture by the Morong 43, a group of health workers suspected of having links with the Communist Party of the Philippines.

He was chief of the 202nd Infantry Brigade when the members of the Morong 43 were arrested for alleged possession of firearms and explosives in 2010.

Baladad has denied the allegations and expressed readiness to face the charges against him.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes led the ceremonial donning of ranks to the newly promoted officers in Fort Bonifacio yesterday.

Also promoted was Maj. Gen. Hernando Iriberri, the commander of the Nueva Ecija-based 7th ID who held key security posts including chief of the Army’s 503rd IB in Abra, spokesman of the Army and the Defense department, chief of the Unified Command Staff of the Southern Luzon Command and Senior Military Assistant to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.

Maj. Gen. Jet Velarmino, commander of the Samar-based 8th ID, was also promoted to two-star general.

The officers who received their first star were Brigadier Generals Gerardo Barrientos Jr., assistant commander of the 4th ID; Richard Lagrana, chief of the 902nd IB; Alex Capiña, commander of the 201st IB; Ricardo Jalad, assistant commander of the 5th ID; Vic Castro, the chief of the 702nd IB; Ivan Samarita, commander of the 202nd IB; Edmundo Pangilinan, chief of the 601st IB; Donato San Juan, commander of the Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) and Roger Salvador, chief of the 501st IB.