On Wednesday, the Army Day proper, Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Army chief, will lead the flag-raising rites at the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite, along with other top officials of the Army.

Aguinaldo is the president of the First Philippine Republic.

The Kawit rites Wednesday will mark the establishment of the Army in 1898 in Tejeros, Kawit, Cavite, led by Gen. Artemio Ricarte,

the first Amy comanding general.

During the celebration, Maj. Gen. JovitoPalparan, commander of the 7th Infantry Division based in Laur, Nueva Ecija, will be honored with the Distinguished Service Star by Cruz for his role in neutralizing 709 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels during his stint as chief of the 8th Infantry Division on Panay Island from Feb. 10 to Aug. 25 last year.

Cruz will be assisted by Esperon in giving the Distinguished Service Star award to Palparan as well as several other citations to deserving Army officers and enlisted personnel during the flag-raising ceremony at the Army Headquarters. The anniversary celebration day proper of the Army command is on March 22, Army spokesman Maj. Bartolome Bacarro said.

Palparan’s relentless campaign against the communist rebels in Eastern Visayas n also resulted in the discovery of 16 NPA camps and six guerrilla safe houses.

Members of the 8th Infantry Division also recovered 247 high- powered firearms along with other war materials and subversive documents.

Palparan launched a total of 11,289 combat operations against NPA rebels in his area of responsibility. A non-Philippine Military Academy (PMA) graduate, Palparan has been the subject of many allegations of human rights violations by militant groups identified with leftist groups.. He was blamed for the mysterious disappearance and even killings of some activists on Mindoro Island and later in Eastern Visayas. Palparan was also blamed for the killing of labor leaders involved in the land and labor problems at Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac City shortly after he assumed leadership of the 7th Infantry Division.

He, however, denied all the charfes,, saying that the human rights violations issue was a desperate way for the NPA rebels to prevent him from pursuing his anti-insurgency campaign. It will be recalled that Palparan was awarded the Wounded Personnel Medal by President Arroyo after he and his men figured in a fierce gun battle with NPA rebels on Mindoro Island about three years ago.

This year’s Army anniversary celebration theme is: "Philippine Army: Hukbo ng Sambayanan, Sandigan ng Mamamayan, Lakas at Katatagan ng Bansa( Philippine Army: Pillar of the Citizen,Strength and Stability of the Nation."

Other awardees are Col. Eduardo del Rosario who will also receive the Distinguished Service Star award from Cruz for his "eminently meritorious and valuable services rendered in a position of major responsibility as commanding officer, 73rd Infantry Battalion, 7th Infantry "Kaugnay" Division, Philippine Army, from 29 June 29, 2000 to July 1, 2003. Esperon said Del Rosario led his battalion in the successful conduct of 8,449 various military operations that resulted in the neutralization of 101 NPA personalities and the recovery of 99 assorted firearms from communist rebels.. First Lieutenant Roden Orbon will receive the Gold Cross Medal after his team killed at least seven Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels during an encounter in Pikit, Cotabato, on Feb. 13 , 2003. Orbon, platoon leader of Combat Group Alpha of the 39th Infantry Battalion, 6th Infantry Division, and his men fought over 200 heavily armed MILF rebels, despite being outnumbered.

Cruz will also award the Outstanding Achievement Medal to Master Sergeant Rosa Maria Lanila for writing the first edition of the 2nd Infantry "Jungle Fighter" Division History Book, while serving as chief Historical NonCommissioned Officer, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (G3), 2nd Infantry Division from Feb. 1, 2002 to Jan. 15, 2004. "MSgt. Lanila painstakingly worked to integrate vital researches from several references, and diligently explored other libraries from other regions to dig the roots of the 2nd Infantry Divisionand war hero Gen.l Mateo Capinpin. She conceptualized the mechanism of establishing the Command Library and Museum where the book will be stored," the citation said.

Other awardees will include Maj. Francisco Ladrido (Gawad sa Kaunlaran); Cdt. Col. Ronnino Bungcaras (Bronze Cross Medal); Sergeant Domingo Justo (Enlisted Personnel of the Year); Civilian Active Auxilliary (CAA) member Leonardo Capistrano (Best CAA of the Year); Master Sergeant Michael Tuba (Reservist of the Year); Cadet Col.l JC Bonnin Sabardan (Male Cadet of the Year) ; Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Ma. Theresa Cecilia Altamirano (Female Cadet of the Year); Doctor Antonieta Caga-Ramos (Philippine Army Model Supervisor) ; Janette Hapita, (Model Employee of the Year); and the Federation of Filipino- Chinese Chambers of Commerce, Inc., and the University of the Philippines-Los Baños Development Communicators’ Volunteer Corps (Outstanding Non-Government Organizations).