His Own Battles He Writes

Bohol’s Choice Cuts By: Loy M. Palapos February 3, 2013

Gen. Alejandro H. Estomo Heroism takes many forms, if by it is meant service to one’s native land, which is the favorite ploy chosen by many in their effort to win approval. In the case of real heroes, they may be unsung, but this does not tarnish their devotion to their country. Being heroic, after all, has nothing to do with vanity. The world has many unsung heroes – a reason to jubilate even in utter silence. Acknowledged or not, they are manifestations of man’s victory over mediocrity or malfeasance. Especially when there is adherence to the adage that a nation is worth dying for. Many Boholanos have been known for their bravery in war, and there are those who practice sublime altruism and undauntedness in peace; but in the case of Brigadier General Alejandro Hornido Estomo 0-7977, AFP, he is a hero both in war and in peace… and still lives to narrate his story. He was the Deputy Commander of the Central Command, of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, based in Cebu City and is now the Internal Auditor of AFP, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. On August 28, 2012 BrigGen Alejandro H. Estomo received the Outstanding Achievement Medal from the Department of National Defense General Headquarters for the extraordinary and distinguished achievement in literary and scholarly works involving the recording, writing, and enriching of the Philippine Military History and Literature. Imbued with a deep sense of professionalism, competence and dynamism he was instrumental in the publication of three books… First, is the “Buliok Operations in 2004.” He was the Commander of the 6th Infantry Battalion, which was the main effort of the 602nd Brigade in the defense of Buliok Complex against the MILF from the 25 February to 13 March 2003. For this he earned the moniker “The Badly Battered Battalion Commander at the Battle of Buliok.” Second, is “The Battle of PALMA-B,” an account of an all-out war in 2008, published in 2009 by G-3, PA. This deals with a series of events in all phases of the escalation of trouble and the subsequent driving out by the 602nd Brigade the renegade members of the 105th Base Command, MILF, under Ameril Umbra Kato, in North Cotabato from 10 to 12 of August 2008. Third, is “Military Leadership in Challenging Times,” published by G3, PA in 2012. This book capsulizes the outstanding efforts of leaders and commanders at all levels of Command, starting from the squad, platoon, company, up to the entire Philippine Army. This is a masterpiece in contemporary efforts to upgrade leadership skills in the chain of command. The Boholano BrigGen is a recipient of several other awards: 5 Distinguished Service Stars, 3 Bronze Cross Medals, 7 Military Merit Medals (with Spearhead Devices and Central commendations, all earned in front of the enemies), and 20 Military Merit Medals with Anahaw Leaf. These, aside from the numerous appreciations from various sectors, including an Outstanding Boholano Award by BAMMI (Bohol Association of Manila, Inc.) in 2009, and Outstanding Boholano in Military Service given by Governor Edgar M. Chatto during the 158th Charter Day of Bohol in July 22, 2012. Alex H. Estomo has always shown his brilliance since his childhood days in Panglao, Bohol. His father, Arcadio B. Estomo, Sr., was the Chief of the Bureau of Telecommunication – Bohol. His mother, Filomena Hornido was into business. All of his 5 brothers and 5 sisters graduated from Metro-Manila Colleges and Universities. He graduated Valedictorian at Bil-isan Elementary School (1970), and Valedictorian at the Bohol National High School (1974). He got a rating of 99% when he took the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE, 1974). He handily passed the entrance examination and went to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), graduating in 1979; after which he served the Military for more than 31 years – 22 years with the Intelligence Service in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and almost 9 years in the Army Infantry. He was deeply involved in the Mindanao Pacification Campaign, where he served a total of 17 years – 8 years as an Intelligence Officer and the rest as an Infantry Combat Officer. As a Combat Officer, he served almost 9 years in Mindanao. This started with his first 4 years as a Lieutenant in Lanao where he had his first baptism of fire, and later in 1981 in Maguindanao. Then, he went in and out of the Army and the Intelligence Community during his entire military service. While in ISAFP, starting in 1984, he extensively traveled nationwide. He had serve in various positions, and finally commanded four Military Intelligence Groups from 1997 up to 2000: MIG 12 in Central Mindanao based in Cotabato City, MIG 9 in Western Mindanao based in Zamboanga City, MIG 6 in Western Visayas based in Iloilo City, and MIG 3 in Central Luzon based in Camp Aquino, Tarlac City. Before his recent assignments, he was the Brigade Commander of the 602nd Infantry Brigade based in Carmen, North Cotabato for more than 2 years. And more previous, he also served as the Defense and Armed Force Attaché at the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia in 2004. As Deputy Commander of Central Command, Camp Lapu-Lapu, Cebu City in October 2010, he became deeply involved in different peace initiatives in the CENTCOM AOR, to include Bohol Province. As a military professional, BGen Estomo of the AFP is a paratrooper, scuba diver, and a writer. A rare combination in one individual. He is happily married to Josephine Ayson-Estomo, a Nurse from the Cebu City Medical Center, and presently a Supervisor at East Avenue Medical Center. There are 2 boys and 4 girls in the family: Alexander Joseph, Arkadeuz Robert III, Verafelyn, Fleur-de-liz, Myrrylyn Chrysanthemum, and Edelweiss. The eldest, Alexander Joseph, went to West Point, New York, and graduated Cum Laude at the United States Military Academy (USMA) in 2004. He was an Outstanding Student – Number 1 in Operational Research, Number 3 in Mathematics, and excelled in Military Leadership, graduating as the Starman or Cadet Captain, a rare distinction for foreign students. He is now a Foreign Service Officer. Fleur-de-liz E. Berlin went to Assumption College, Makati City and graduated Cum Laude. She was a finalist for TOSP (Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines) – 2010. She now works with a multinational company. Myrrylyn Chrysanthemum went to UP-Dilliman and finished a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy as Cum Laude. In the 2011 CPA Licensure Examination, she ranked Number 10. As an outstanding Intelligence Officer and Combat Commander Brigadier General Alejandro Hornido Estomo is praised, admired, and respected by his superiors, peers, and subordinates. His writing skill has added another dimension to his talents. His encounters in the battlefield are vividly encapsulated in the three books he collaborated in writing. If others write what they hear about, BGen Estomo was there, and he wrote what he experienced. It was in war when BrigGen Estomo felt his closest affinity with his native land – he was willing to risk his life so others may live. This is a sense of nobility only those who are ready to die for their country share with one another. He has been trained and nurtured for this obligation that needs total dedication and commitment. In peace, he is still the staunchest advocate of harmony among peoples and among nations. Through the three books, where he shared his writing skill, he vividly pictures to the readers the gruesomeness of war (and should be avoided, resorted to only as a last recourse), so everybody will contribute his best to make peace work. The sacrifices, the ordeals, the blood – he can write about them, because he was there. He risks his own life because he loves his country. This is heroism in its consummate avatar, and Brigadier General Alejandro H. Estomo 0-7977, AFP stands tall as the brave soldier worth emulating.

Message to my classmates of BPHS'74

To Olivia and all my classmates of BHS 74,

Thanks a lot of your greetings. It is so nice to hear from our own classmates to have that compliment.

Be informed that I am proud of my rank. . . .to the bones. I earned this star not from the swivel or from the racking chair. But from hard work, great efforts and a lot of risk of life and cheating death, both as a combat officer ( for more than 8 years) and a James bond ( 23 years).

As a combat officer, my life was full of dangers, and calculated- risks, Most of the time , no pleasure nor leisure.. . No wine, no women and nor wealth. It is plain . . . all work, all walk and all war! But in general, it is full of challenge, thrill and adventure like a Rambo. .

I spent my first four years in the front line. One year as a platoon leader and as a Commanding Officer of a Battalion Strike Force with the 11th Infantry Battalion in Lanao del Sur ( 1979 to 1980). I served also as Battalion Operation and Intelligence Officer with the 38th Infantry Battalion up to 1983 in Central Mindanao, especially the Liguasan Marsh area bounded by the Municipalities of Datu Piang, Shariff Aguak ( the bailiwick of the famous Ampatuans), then Reina Regente up to Buluan, all of Maguindanao province, the homeplace of the famous Muslim Hero Sultan Kudarat. . ..

From 2001 t0 2003, I served as Battalion Commander of the 6th Infantry Battalion. Of which, the first 6 months were spent in Cotabato City, with mission to hunt Kidnap for Ransom Groups and MILF forces. The next one year was in Sulu Province with mission to participate in the pacification campaign againts the revolting Misuari Breakaway Group(MBG) and the mujahideen Abu Sayaff. Life in Sulu then was hard. It was a very challenging place and even during the spanish and american times. Sulu is Sulu. . of no equal anywhere else in the country.

The last six months were spent at Buliok Complex, Pikit North Cotabato during an all- out- war with the MILF in the first quarter of 2003.My Battalion was given the mission to reinforce army troops in that complex, to depend the route going to the house of Hashim Salamat, which was then secured by a marine battalion. Fighting then was almost everyday and the area sounds like a New Year with the bangs and bongs, big and small. At the end of my assignment there, and after surviving an ambush at Brgy Bagoinged in that complex last 26 March 2003 plus the countless exchanges of fires, I was lucky to survive and earning a legend as the Badly Battered Bol-anon Battalion Commander of the Battle of Buliok ( all letter B). In the overall, I was then a victim of the collapse of the Peace Process during that period.

Last July of 2008, I was assigned as Brigade Commander of the Second Brigade of the 6th Infantry Division, covering the whole North Cotabato Province. This is still my assignment to date. When I was a newly arrival, the MILF was on limited offensive doing attrocities all in violation of the Peace Agreement and the Ceasefire. Moreover, they were doing encroachment, organized banditry, thievery, arson of around a hundred houses, murders and others. I recommended an all out counterattack to drive out the MILF from North Coabato and to send them back to Maguindanao. The MILF counteracted and an all out war spillovered the Moroland. .. I was the cause of the collapse of the Peace Process during the period.

All years in between were spent in the Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines.The last three years were spent as Defense and Armed Forces Attache in the Philippine Embassy there in Malaysia. Previous to that I was a Counter Terrorist Officer of the National Intelligence Agency covering the whole Mindanao Island. The remaining time were as a local James Bond from Tuguegarao to Tawitawi.

This is the time of long hair, mustache, barong tagalog, coat and tie, eskinol, etc. This is the time of learning dialects and languages, dinner, whisky, tango dances, singing, guitar, piano, etc. This is the time of wine, women, whispers, kiss and no-tell, omerta, etc. But on the other hand, here I earned the Nom de Guerre as Robert Rivas The Legend because of great works that only God and the Devils know. . . Don't try to know for you have no chance to become God. . Secondly, I will go to jail or in hell!

Others will remain secret. . What you see, what you read and what you hear, , just leave it here. . . See you then. . . and hasta la vista. . .

Your Classmate,

Alex

Gen. Alejandro Hornido Estomo