LEGAZPI CITY (PIA) — Major General Noe Alberto Peñafiel, commander of the 9th Infantry Division, bowed out of military service on Wednesday after serving for 38 years.
Brig. Gen. Randolph Cabangbang was designated acting commander.
Peñafiel was the 18th commander of the 9th Infantry Division, which oversees the Bicol region, a key area in the country’s fight against communist insurgency.
During his tenure with the 9th Infantry Division, he led the Joint Task Force Bicolandia, which successfully dismantled the communist guerrilla front.
With his retirement, Peñafiel said he was looking forward to spending more time with his family.
“I’m blessed to have spent the final years of my career serving my fellow Bicolanos. In many ways, I was able to give back to the region that molded me,” Peñafiel said.
Peñafiel graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1991.
Major General Leodevic Guinid, the Army Vice Commander, led the change of command ceremony, highlighting Peñafiel’s leadership in securing battlefield victories and gaining the trust of soldiers and the community. (9th ID-DPAO contributed to this report/PIA Bicol)
Cover photo credits: DPAO, 9ID PA
