Military woman lawyer gets 1st star along with 21 senior military officers

A senior lady officer has joined the male- dominated star- rank circle of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) following President Aquino’s approval of her promotion to the next higher rank along with 21 other generals and flag-officers.

Given her first star was former colonel and now Brig. Gen. Marian Aleido, of the AFP Judge Advocate General Office ( JAGO). Aleido is the 7th female general from the AFP Technical Service. The first AFP female general was Brig. Gen. Ramona Go of the Army.

Go has retired from the service in September last year and later sought the mayoralty post in her hometown in San Enrique, Iloilo and won the May 13 midterm electoral contest.

“The AFP welcomes the promotions of 22 generals and fl ag officers holding key positions in the organization including another female general, Brig. Gen. Marian Aleido, the current fi rst female Judge Advocate General,” Maj. Ramon Zagala, chief of the AFP Public Affairs Office (PAO), said.

As a military lawyer, Aleido played a key role as a law member of the military tribunal that tried cases of several key officers behind an alleged attempt to unseat by force then president and now Pampanga re- elected Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Aside from Aleido, promoted to the rank of lieutenant generals were Maj. Gen. Caesar Ordoyo, commander of the Southern Luzon Command ( Solcom); Maj. Gen. Roy Deveraturda, commander of the Central Command ( Centcom) and Western Command ( Wescom) commander, Maj. Gen. Rustico Guerrero.

Ordoyo, Deveraturda and Guerrero received their respective three- star rank insignia from AFP chief, Gen. Emmanuel Bautista during the donning of ranks held at the AFP canopy recently.

Promoted to the rank of major generals were brigadier generals Crisology Nayve, Romeo Gapuz, Richard Siga-an and John Bonafos while Commodores Jesus Millan and Leopoldo Alano also got their Rear Admiral ranks.

Given their first star were Colonels Wilfredo Bonilla, Francisco Patrimonio, Romeo Gan, Mayoralgo Dela Cruz, John Estoesta, Reynaldo Castillo, Oscar Lactao and Rey Leonardo Guerrero.

Also promoted to commodores (brigadier generals) were Navy captains Joel Dela Cruz, Rolando Joseph Mercado, Capt. Antonio Habulan and Francisco Sebastian Pan.