PRESIDENT Marcos Jr (BBM) s due to visit today the headquarters of the Armed Forces and the PNP at Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame in Quezon City, respectively, his first since assuming the presidency on June 30.
Marcos, the AFP’s commander-in-chief, will be at Camp Aguinaldo at around 2 p.m. to preside over the assumption of Lt. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro as Armed Forces chief.
Bacarro, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1988, is a recipient of the Medal of Valor , the highest military decoration in combat. He will have a three-year term as AFP chief under Republic Act 11709 which took effect on July 1.
The law fixes to three years the term of the military chief, AFP vice chief of staff, AFP deputy chief of staff, Army chief, Navy chief, Air Force chief, unified area commanders, and the AFP inspector general, and to four years the term of the Philippine Military Academy superintendent.
During the ceremony, the President will present awards to certain military personnel.
This is not first time Marcos is attending a military affair since he assumed the presidency on June 30. He graced the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Air Force in Clark Air Base in Pampanga on July 1.
Marcos will be at Camp Crame at around 9 a.m, as guest of honor and speaker during the celebration of 121st police service anniversary or commemoration of the establishment of the Philippine Constabulary as the country’s first insular police force.
“The Chief Executive is expected to issue his marching orders and policy guidance to the 226,000 officers, men and women of the PNP on his first official visit to Camp Crame since his assumption of office on June 30,” said PNP information office chief Brig. Gen. Roderick Alba.
Alba said Marcos will also present awards and citations to police personnel “for invaluable service and achievements” during the event.
Marcos will be assisted by Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos and Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr in the conferment of awards and citations.
“As we celebrate this auspicious day, we also honor and pay tribute to our fallen police officers, our unsung heroes, whose legacy, exceptional dedication to duty, selfless service, and unconditional love and sacrifices for our country and countrymen are forever etched in the colorful history of the PNP,” said Azurin.
