CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City - The Commander of the Civil Relations Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Maj. Gen. Manuel V Sequitin bowed out of service in a Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony at AFP General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo on Thursday, August 18, after over 37 years of outstanding military service.
He was replaced in an acting capacity by Col Medel M Aguilar in the ceremony presided by the Chief of Staff AFP Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente O Bacarro.
Before serving as commander of CRSAFP, Maj. Gen. Sequitin was given various staff and command responsibilities that became highlights of his career as a military officer.
He served in the 15th Infantry Battalion, 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division as a platoon leader, company commander, and battalion operations officer after graduating from the Philippine Military Academy in 1989.
Later, he was assigned to the psychological operations group, the forerunner of the present Civil-Military Operations Regiment, after his tour in the field, where he specialized as an army CMO officer.
He then assumed command of the 66th Infantry Battalion and as Assistant Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations, G7 of 10ID, and subsequently transferred as Executive Officer of G7 at Headquarters Philippine Army.
He also served as chief and general manager of the AFP Educational Benefit System Office in Camp Aguinaldo with the task of providing educational grants for children of soldiers who were killed in action.
Eventually, he became the Chief of Staff and subsequently the Deputy Commander of the CRSAFP. After which he assumed his post as Chief of Staff of the 10th Infantry (Agila) Division in Davao region for three years and then as commander of the 701st Infantry Brigade where he earned his first star.
Meanwhile, Col Aguilar is the Deputy Commander of CRSAFP and acting AFP spokesperson.
He is a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Tanglaw-diwa” class of 1992 and finished his Command and General Staff Course in 2013.
He acquired a Master’s Degree in Management from the Asian Institute of Management in 2011 and a Public Management Major in Development Security from the Development Academy of the Philippines in the following year.
Col Aguilar served as the Assistant Chief of Unified Command Staff for Civil-Military Operations, U7, and Spokesperson of Visayas Command; as commander of the 10th Civil-Military Operations Battalion of the 10th Infantry “Agila” Division; and as the commanding officer of the 49th Infantry Battalion of the 9th Infantry “Spear” Division.
In his speech, the CSAFP lauded Maj. Gen. Sequitin’s successful stint as CRSAFP commander for over one year and four months. “He was entrusted the leadership of the CRSAFP because of his unparalleled professional excellence, high sense of responsibility, remarkable managerial expertise, and outstanding leadership,” Lt. Gen. Bacarro said.
“To the men and women of CRSAFP, work well with your new commander and continue to work hard as you uphold the highest standards of excellence and professionalism,” Lt. Gen. Bacarro added.///
(Photos by A2C Ted Castro PAF/PAOAFP)
