Dolorfino: One silent peacemaker

By Julie Alipala
Inquirer
Last updated 03:42am (Mla time) 02/05/2007

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- He is known as the most quiet military officer in the Philippine Marines.

Whenever there are top government and military officials or foreign diplomats around, Brig. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino prefers to stay and listen in the background, unless he is directly asked to speak his mind.

He is admired -- even envied -- by officers from both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front.

At Camp Teodulfo Bautista, headquarters of Task Force Comet, which is in charge of military operations in the Sulu islands, Dolorfino is often referred to jokingly as the deputy commander of MNLF Chair Nur Misuari.

“That’s OK, if that makes them happy. It’s also an honor being associated with a respected official,” Dolorfino told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in May 2006 while he was trying to set up a dialogue between the AFP and the MNLF.

Embracing Islam

A Muslim convert, Dolorfino has also taken the name Ben Muhammad. He admits that embracing Islam has widened his perspective and understanding of the Mindanao conflict.

The author of a paper titled “Sulu’s Road Map: A Journey to Peace and Development,” Dolorfino has been labeled as one of the few “officers who think out of the military box.”

“Societal problems, although multidimensional in nature, always manifest themselves in the military box in the form of peace and order problems (i.e. insurgency, terrorism, criminality, clan wars and ethnic violence). The usual paradigm would be the military approach,” Dolorfino stated in his presentation of his Sulu study.

More Dolorfinos, please

When a proposed meeting in May 2006 between Joint Task Force Comet and the MNLF’s Ustadz Habier Malik Group hit a snag, top MNLF leaders like Julhambri Misuari stood behind Dolorfino and defended him.

That meeting had been called to discuss security arrangements in connection with the visit to Sulu of diplomats from the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

“We are praying for more of the likes of Dolorfino in the AFP,” Misuari said. “His character and determination to achieve peace is invaluable. We love and admire him more for his fairness and openness.”

Ms Arroyo’s pet

Dolorfino, now head of the National Capital Region Command, is also one of the favored military officers of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo because of his contributions to bringing armed rebels to the negotiating table to resolve a conflict between the military and Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas in Central Mindanao in 2005.

He once served as Task Force Ranao commander and deputy commander of the then Southern Command.

During a State of the Nation Address, Ms Arroyo acknowledged Dolorfino’s efforts in dealing with the MNLF in Sulu in order to pave the way for more development projects on the island, to include the entry of US humanitarian missions.

Mutual respect

Thus, Presidential Adviser Jesus Dureza was puzzled when Dolorfino and Undersecretary Ramon Santos were detained at the MNLF camp by Moro rebels that included the group of Malik.

“Dolorfino and Santos often go in and out of their camp,” Dureza said, referring to the mutual respect between Dolorfino and Malik.

inquirer

:salute:

he's so silent i only heard of this officer when he was hosted by the MNLF

the AFP definitely need more of this kind of officers

Gen. Dolorfino is now the PMC commandant.

He is a practicing Muslim.

Is he well-regarded in the corps?

Once a Marine always a Marine. Take note esprit de corps or camaraderie.

:patrioticpinoy:

This is just my personal opinion;

1. how can battle hardened troops respect someone who was held hostage by the MNLF and has the gall to admit it during his confirmation for a 2-star rank.

2. How can he gain respect when there are allegations that he was the one who called off the air strike as member of the ceasefire committee during the battle in Al-Barka, Basilan last July 10, wherein 14 marines died, 10 were beheaded.

Gen. Dolorfino inspects his troops:

what is that big suppressed weapon?

organic ba sya sa PMC? sa PMC ba sya nag PL, Coy Commander? Akala ko naval aviator sya dati at nag lateral sa PMC when he was about to become a marine colonel.

seen him as coy comdr durng 1989 coup, replaced him as MBLT6 comdr in 1995, worked with him as adjacent brigades in pikit, cotabato as deputy brigade commander 1MBDE while he was bde comdr of 2MBDE - he was outstanding. He works within sun tzu principles of destroying his enemies will to fight before they go into battle. He is well respected in the Corps except those who have wandered into coup plotting and unprofesional traits. took his stand during marine stand off in feb 2006 by defying gen miranda while others faltered. i say his well respected in the corps. other than that then let a coup be successful later in his term.

New Marine chief vows action vs ‘destab’ plotters

The new Marine commandant on Sunday assured the military’s chain of command headed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Marine Corps’ loyalty even as he vowed to decisively act against threats of destabilization on the government.

“We are assuring those up in the chain of command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that that (loyalty) is always on the mind of the leadership of the Philippine Marine Corps," Maj. Gen. Ben Dolorfino said in a radio interview.

Mrs Arroyo is on top of the chain of command, she being the military’s commander-in-chief. Second to the President under the chain of command is Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr.

Dolorfino is the second official to head the Marine Corps since February 25 last year when then Marine commandant Renato Miranda supposedly planned to lead Marine officers and men to Edsa Shrine and withdraw its support from Mrs Arroyo.

Apart from Miranda, the other officials implicated in the failed power grab were then Scout Ranger Regiment commander Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, Ariel Querubin and Lt. Col. Custodio
Parcon.

“Whatever we will do is to the interest of the broad masses of people regardless of their political beliefs, religions and ethnic identity," said Dolorfino, who succeeded Miranda’s predecessor - Maj. Gen. Nelson Allaga who had been promoted to head the Western Mindanao Command.

Reports had it that some quarters are plotting destabilization moves in time for the upcoming announcement of the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan of its decision on the plunder case of former president Joseph Estrada.

Reports also indicated that the Senate’s re-opening of the investigation on the “Hello, Garci" scandal and the fighting between the Marines and the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan could be part of the destabilization moves.

Dolorfino, who is temporarily heading the military’s National Capital Region Command, said he had the reports on destabilization efforts but “so far we have not seen specific information on that [matter]."

“But if there occurs (a destabilization move), that will be attended to decisively, meaning we have to neutralize the threat as soon as possible…My reminder to them (Marines) is that we should be the guardians of our democratic institutions," said Dolorfino.

In his assumption speech last Friday, Dolorfino said changes in the political system should be done by elected representatives of the people and through the “democratic processes."

“There should be no undemocratic action like destabilization, like coup d’etats, that is why I emphasized in my assumption speech that we will never be an instrument for the desecration of our democratic institutions," he said.

Dolorfino said his position regarding the case of Miranda and Querubin “is always reconciliatory."

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/58758/New-Mari...destab-plotters

our marines are better armed these days :armycheers:

m4s and m249 yeheyy

A peace-loving kidnap victim. The very same people he trusted (MILF) did not respect him. and he will lead the dogs of war?!

he is peace loving with a certain extent. the marine corps did not accept intergrees from the MNLF in as the army did but we have worked and operated with muslim officers since the mid -70s but not former enemies as the MNLF - which is unacceptable in our culture. i operated as a platoon commander under a muslim officer (my company commander) in my youth and i have great respect for his leadership in combat as did other marines. It is the marine culture that prevails and not the religion.

what is happening to the marines? after this muslim general became its commandant, sunod sunod na ang kapalpakan nila.

the tipo-tipo beheadings followed by the force recon massacre, then the makati standoff where the pmrf troops showed amateurish and comical assault techniques and failed to prevent fellow marine faeldon from escaping. they could not even manage to catch malik who kidnapped gen. dolorfino.

and they are supposed to be the better soldiers in all AFP.

Sir madami dami pang active na senior sir? ,nalala ko may pinuntahan kami sa Housing sa may Taguig ni C.O. ,Sir.

don't worry, when mblt6 becomes the marine commandant, the corps will surely regain its former glory. :thumb:

Gen. Dolorfino should resign.

It was a Marine MP detail that failed to prevent the walkout, 6 of the 7 Magdalos who escaped from the Pen are Marines, the PMRF and Force Recon failing to prevent their escape.

It's for a reason why in yesterday's hearing, there were no Marines around - only PNP, Army and Air Force units.

BS eat my dust. the recon entered the hotel first surreptiously at the right wing to pave the way for SAF for assault on the second floor where trillanes was holed out. the SAF were better equipped for this purpose. we led the assault we paved the way based on core competencies why can't u armchair generals understand that. trillanes was stupid when he planned the walkout and siege. he failed miserably thats a fact. tear gas or cs grenades he failed to consider as we then know a damn ltsg of navy with no combat experience. he didnt know the capabities and its use in warfare. it takes years and experience to know these. trillanes BS thats why we won and he lost - the end state of all battles. BTW they luk pretty tamed with their face facing the ground with handcuffs - the way they shud be with their declarations earlier - pathetic i must say. no military man deserves a second chance of failure after oakwood - just shows thier incompetence. ready force of PMC was the first and dominant force available at short notice were they earned the respect of the AFP and PNP. Be there next time i'll tangle wit you anytime wit success - i'm a professional. BTW due also to ur incompetence PMRF has nothing to do wit the the walkout. we deal only on contingencies which means when thier is chaos already when we react. thats what ready force means. sure u know what READY means? READY to react! our slogan of DETER COMPEL RETALIATE relates that! pls stick wit selling balot in luneta u'll earn more respect in this forum - u trully lack knowhow in military affairs.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTjknvJXQDo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=993Nd9mTyzA&NR=1

stop talking about trillanes, he's already in custody and probably pissing in his panties every night, traumatized by the sight of kick-ass force recon operators who kicked his sorry butt.

what about former force recon capt. faeldon? what was his expression? was he quaking too when he saw his former comrades? and btw, why did he and 5 other magdalo marines manage to escape despite the fact that your force recon were there , having entered the hotel "surreptiously" at night?

what about the funny-duck-walking pmrf troops? have they been trained on proper urban assault tactics?

if memory serves me right, the MPs that time who allowed trillanes and company to walkout are marines

Maj. Gen. Dolorfino will be WESMINCOM commander...

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/57026/Newsbrea...FP-revamp-looms

Who would be the next PMC Commandant once Gen. Dolorfino is at WESTMINCOM?

“Gentle Giant” is now WesMinCom chief

http://www.mindanews.com/index.php?option=...=6571&Itemid=50