Philippine Army Chief Visits Moscow

Philippine Army Commanding General Lieutenant General Macairog S. Alberto and Russian Ground Forces Commander-in-Chief General Oleg Salyukov at the Headquarters of the Ground Forces in Moscow. (Moscow PE photo)

MOSCOW 06 August 2019 – Philippine Army (PA) Commanding General Lieutenant General Macairog S. Alberto was in Moscow on 08 July 2019 for an official visit to the Ground Forces of the Russian Armed Forces, upon the invitation of Army General Oleg Salyukov, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation. 

Lieutenant General Alberto was joined by six senior PA officers.  

The visit commenced with the arrival honors and wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Alexander Park, marking General Alberto as the first Filipino defense official to be accorded the privilege by the Russian government. A visit to the Kremlin, the official residence of the Russian President, followed.

In the bilateral meeting with Russian Army General Salyukov at the headquarters of the Ground Forces in Moscow, issues of bilateral military cooperation, particularly the training of Filipino servicemen in Russian military schools, joint staff / operational exercises in areas such as counterterrorism operations, as well as the participation of Philippine teams in the International Army Games were discussed.

The Philippine delegation was also briefed with the organization, types, and peculiarities in the training of officers at the Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.  They are also scheduled visit the Tank Guards Command of the Western military district and the Research Institute of Precision Machinery.

Ambassador to Russian Federation Carlos D. Sorreta met with the delegation in a working dinner at the Philippine Embassy in Moscow.  The Ambassador noted the significant increase in defense and military cooperation activities between the Philippines and Russia since the signing of the Defense Cooperation Agreement in 2017.  He expressed hope, however, that there will be more engagements between the armed forces of both countries in the coming years. END

Lieutenant General Alberto, together with General Salyukov during the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier. (Moscow PE photo)

The Philippine Army delegation was joined by Embassy officers in their visit to Kremlin. From L-R: Captain Shariff Mabini, Army Operations Research Center director Colonel Samuel Yunque, Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics Colonel Rey Alemania, Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans Colonel Romulo Manuel, Lieutenant General Alberto; Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel Colonel Marion Sison, Mrs. Imelda Pastor; Philippine Embassy in Moscow Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Colonel Dennis Pastor, Embassy Political Officer, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Anna Guerra, and Colonel Emmanuel Cabasan. (Moscow PE photo)

Bilateral meeting between the Philippine Army and the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation. (Moscow PE photo)

Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta (second from right) meets with Lieutenant General Alberto and other members of the delegation at the Embassy. (Moscow PE photo)

For more information, visit https://www.moscowpe.dfa.gov.ph, or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinRussia/ or https://twitter.com/phlinrussia