The Philippine Army installed an acting deputy for the Office of the Army Chief Ethical Standards and Public Accountability (OACESPA) in a ceremony presided by Acting Army Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Roy M. Galido at the Headquarters Philippine Army, Fort Bonifacio, Metro Manila on July 15, 2022.
Lt. Col. Joey T. Magundayao assumed as OACESPA acting deputy chief, succeeding Col. Leonidas L. Hidalgo whose military career spanned more than 36 years. As the OACESPA deputy chief, Lt. Col. Magundayao is tasked to carry out the directives and orders of the Army Vice Commander who also serves as the concurrent Army Chief Ethical Standards and Public Accountability.
Lt. Col. Magundayao served as chief of OACESPA’s Public Accountability Branch prior to his designation as the office’s acting deputy chief. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminology degree from the Cagayan Colleges.
Lt. Col. Magundayao rose from the ranks. Before becoming an officer, he topped his Candidate Soldier Course under the then Light Armor Brigade in 1991. He then served as a probationary second lieutenant two years later under Republic Act No. 2334. He has an extensive background in human rights, crime investigation, prevention, and detection.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Galido lauded Col. Hidalgo for steering OACESPA in the formulation and implementation of programs that instilled ethical standards and public accountability among Army personnel. The Acting Army Vice Commander likewise lauded Col. Hidalgo, who served as office’s deputy chief for almost three years, for the revision of the Ethical Standards and Public Accountability Manual of the Philippine Army.
Col. Hidalgo belongs to Philippine Military Academy “Bigkis Lahi” Class of 1990. He holds a Master’s degree in Strategy and Policy from the University of New South Wales in Australia.
“Col. Hidalgo made his mark in the history of OACESPA. I will take this opportunity to commend the strength, perseverance, and sound judgment exhibited by the men and women of Team OACESPA who delivered with utmost responsibility and accountability their sworn duties and responsibilities,” Maj. Gen. Galido said in his remarks.
Photos by Pvt Divino S. Lozano PA/ OACPA