Honor guards pass by an enlarged image of outgoing 4ID commander, Maj. Gen. Jose Maria Cuerpo II, who bowed out of military service on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. Photo by Ercel Maandig, Inquirer Mindanao
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY 鈥� Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido presided over a change of command ceremony at the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) here on Friday as Maj. Gen. Jose Maria Cuerpo II, a hero of the five-month war in Marawi City in 2017, ends his military career.
In a ceremony steeped in tradition, Cuerpo gave the saber symbolizing authority as 4ID commanding general to Brig. Gen. Consolito Yecla who took over as acting division commander.
Cuerpo, who belonged to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) 1990 Bigkis-Lahi class, served the Army for exactly 38 years, nine months and 18 days.
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In his speech, Cuerpo pointed to the Marawi siege in 2017 as 鈥渢he most fulfilling event of my military career,鈥� citing many instances 鈥渨herein we save (the) lives of the innocent civilians, like women and children, from the hands of Maute-ISIS terrorist group led by Isnilon Hapilon and (the) Maute brothers鈥︹��
Among those saved from the hands of the terrorists was Catholic priest Chito Soganub who was held captive inside the Bato Ali mosque.
The Islamic State-linked band was eventually wiped out by government soldiers after a five-month war that ravaged the city鈥檚 commercial district.
During his stint as 4ID commander, Cuerpo presided over continuous pounding against communist rebel positions in Northern Mindanao and the Caraga regions which host the remaining strongholds of the Maoist insurgency.
From 2023 to 2024, the military campaign led to the dismantling of three guerrilla fronts.
Galido cited the exemplary performance of Cuerpo as an Army commander, and also expressed confidence in the leadership capability of Yecla, a member of PMA class 1993 who used to be commander of Task Force Davao.