The Philippine Army installed Brig. Gen. Marion R. Sison as the new commander of the 3rd Infantry “Spearhead” Division (3ID) in a Change of Command Ceremony on February 26, 2023 at Camp Gen. Macario B. Peralta Jr., Jamindan, Capiz.
Commanding General, Philippine Army (CGPA) Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner, Jr., presided over the ceremony as Lt. Gen. Benedict M. Arevalo, who now leads the Armed Forces of the Philippines Visayas Command (VisCom), relinquished his erstwhile position to the new commander.
Brig. Gen. Sison has been leading 3ID in an acting capacity since Lt. Gen. Arevalo’s official designation as VisCom Chief on January 13, 2023. He held key command and staff posts throughout his career such as commander of the 301st Infantry “Bayanihan” Brigade in Dingle, Iloilo (301st Inf Bde); Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel, G1, Philippine Army; Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, G2, Philippine Army; commander of the AFP Joint Task Force Sulu; and commanding officer of 79th Infantry Battalion, 3ID. Brig. Gen. Sison belongs to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) "Sambisig" Class of 1991 and holds a Master in Public Management Major in Development and Security from the Development Academy of the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Arevalo took the helm of the AFP VisCom in an acting capacity on November 2022 until his official designation earlier this year. He led 3ID from September 2021 to November 2022. He also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations, J7, AFP in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City; and commander of the 303rd Infantry “Brown Eagle” Brigade in Murcia, Negros Occidental as well as of the 301st Inf Bde. He is a member of PMA “Bigkis Lahi” Class of 1990.
Lt. Gen. Brawner Jr., in his keynote remarks, lauded 3ID’s significant gains against the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) operating in Western Visayas under the stewardship of Lt. Gen. Arevalo. The Army Chief likewise lauded him for effectively employing the three pillars of Civil-Military Operations that reduced the CTG’s firepower and manpower in the region.
Lt. Gen. Brawner Jr. likewise called on the 3ID troopers now under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Sison to sustain the gains against the CTG and to crush their remaining bastions in the Visayas through sustained focused military operations bolstered by the whole-of-nation approach.
Photos by Pfc Rodgen V Quirante PA/ OACPA