‘Superman’ Gen. Iriberri takes command of the Philippine Army

15 Février 2014 , Rédigé par ileridefense Publié dans #Asie

MANILA – A new general is leading the Philippine Army, and he’s vowing to transform soldiers into more credible fighting forces while pursuing the government’s Internal Peace and Security Plan [IPSP] Bayanihan counter insurgency program.

President Benigno Aquino III designated Maj. Gen. Hernando Iriberri as the new commanding general of the 83,000-member Army, selecting him over at least two senior officers who were candidates for the post.

Iriberri, member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983, had served as commander of the 7th Infantry Division, whose area of operation is Central Luzon. He will succeed retired Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes.

Philippines ‘world class Army’

Iriberri said he would continue to build from the Army Transformation Roadmap, an ongoing program aimed at making the Philippine Army a word-class fighting force, and pursuing a strong counter insurgency program.

“While we have made dramatic progress in both pursuits, there is much left to be done in our journey toward achieving our vision of a world-class Army,” he said. Iriberri plans to lead the Army until 2016 when he reaches mandatory retirement age.

“There is much more we can do to translate our strategy into operational terms, to align all our units to our strategy and to make strategy execution the job of every officer and soldier,” he added.

The 56th chief of the Army said the organization should be well-equipped “with respectable image in Southeast Asia” as envisioned by the Army program.

Called “Superman” by Aquino, Iriberri rose quickly through the Army hierarchy. He became Army commander in two years after having been a brigade and later a division commander.

Aquino cited his record for pacifying a former rebel-influenced province in Northern Philippines and for instilling peace and security in that province. The province registered its highest voter turnout in the last election.

Interoperability and decisive force

Iriberri said he would also enhance the Army’s joint and combined operational capabilities by working and training with other armed forces.

This should come by way of “developing new means and methods for effectively and efficiently collaborating with foreign forces,” he said.

Iriberri said he would make the Army a decisive force, “one that will not only rise equal to the traditional challenges and non-traditional concerns, but also prevail and dominate over such concerns.”

“Let us develop our forces into the kind of soldiers we ought to be by elevating the competency levels of our troops; by upgrading and modernizing all training systems, facilities and institutions; by recruiting only the best candidate soldiers and officers; and by progressively empowering our NCOs [non-commissioned officers],” he said.

Duty to defend and responsibility to deliver

Iriberri reminded the soldiers not only of their duty to defend the country, but their responsibility to deliver.

This “responsibility is something that has to be translated into concrete form and decisive action with clear, measureable results,” he said.

The country remains engaged in battles for enduring peace and development, Iriberri said, citing threats posed by domestic forces, territorial issues and natural disasters and calamities.

“The developments around the fringes of our sovereign territory have increasingly become sources of serious concern for our national leaders as well as our surface and ground commanders,” Iriberri said.

Aquino said he hopes Iriberri will exhibit the “greatest strength, discipline and dedication in order to continue the transformation of the Army.” He said he chose Iriberri because it is proper that the best commander should succeed an equally good, but retiring commander.

By Rene P. Acosta

Asia Pacific Defense Forum

2014.02.13

Leadership transition: Philippine President Benigno Aquino III hands over the command saber to new Commanding General Maj. Gen. Hernando Iriberri while retiring commander Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes looks on. [Photo by Ryan Lim/Malacanang Photo Bureau/PNA]

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