FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City – Retired Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes C. Esperon Jr. received the Philippine Military Academy Lifetime Achievement Award during the annual PMA Alumni Homecoming here on Saturday, February 17.
FORMER Armed Forces chief of staff retired Gen. Hermogenes C. Esperson Jr. (right) with fellow Lifetime Achievement awardees (from left) retired Col. Alejandro Flores, Lt. Gen. Ricardo de Leon, Major Gen. Thompson Lantion, and Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Velasco.
Esperon, chairman of the Board of Directors of Philtrust Bank and a consultant of the Manila Bulletin from 2012 to 2016, received the award 50 years after graduating from the academy.
Four other graduates of the PMA also received the LAA – retired Major Gen. Thompson Lantion of PMA Class 1969, Lt. Gen. Ricardo de Leon of PMA Class 1971, Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Velasco of PMA Class 1971, and Col. Alejandro Flores Jr. of PMA Class 1972.
The LAA is accorded to alumni who have spent at least 50 years of dedicated, exemplary, and unblemished service to the country and countrymen.
Also bestowed the Pandemic Heroes Award during the event was philanthropist Enrique Razon Jr. and retired Lt. Gen. Raul del Rosario who headed the One Stop Shop Management for returning Overseas Filipino Workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fourteen PMA cavaliers received the Cavalier Award.
The PMA Marangal Class 1974 composed of 114 members were Golden Jubilarians this year while Class 1964 were Diamond Jubilarians and Class 1999 were Silver Jubilarians.
Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, an honorary member of Marangal Class 1974, who was the guest of honor and speaker, bestowed the LAA, with PMA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Rhowen Tolentino and Danilo Abinoja, chairman of the PMA Alumni Association Inc.
Esperon, of Marangal Class 1974, was elated by the award.
“I would like to thank our soldiers, active and retired, for their support while I was in the service and even when I was already in Cabinet but very importantly, I'd like to thank the civic organization, especially the Rotary Clubs and the people for their trust and confidence in me,” he said.
“Finally, I'd like to thank God for the blessings to me and my family, including my seven children, who are with me today in this alumni homecoming. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas (Long live the Philippines),” said Esperon.
Esperon said he seeks to continue serving Filipinos. For him, there is no end to lifetime achievement.
He entered the PMA direct from the Philippine Science High School in 1970 and graduated in 1974 with the rank of cadet captain as Bravo Company commander.
The then Lt. Esperon had his baptism of combat gunfire in a remote barangay in Basilan.
He would command “B” Company of the 36th Infantry (Valor) Battalion, the strike battalion of the Southern Command, against secessionists in Basilan, Sulu, and Zamboanga.
Esperon became the intelligence chief of the 7th Infantry Division during which he led the capture of Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army Central Committee member Juanito Rivera.
He also led the Presidential Security Group that captured fugitive Rep. Romeo Jalosjos and top drug lords.
As commander of the 602nd Infantry Brigade, he led the capture of secessionist camps in Cotabato and Maguindanao.
In the advent of the Dos Palmas, Palawan kidnappings in 2001, Esperon led the 103rd Infantry Brigade in Basilan that neutralized Abu Sayyaf elements and recovered their hostages.
He also led operations against the ASG highlighted by the neutralization of founder Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani in Sulu in 2006.
Esperon was President Rodrigo Duterte’s national security adviser during his term.