31/10/2025
New commander of Army’s 10th ID assumes post
An Army general partly instrumental in liberating Basilan from the now defunct Abu Sayyaf assumed on Wednesday, October 29, as commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division covering cities and provinces in three Mindanao regions.
Brig Gen. Alvin Luzon replaced the retired Major Gen. Allan Hambala as 10th ID commander in a traditional command transition rite on Wednesday at the division’s headquarters in Camp General Manuel Yan Sr. in Barangay Tuboran, Mawab town in Davao de Oro.
The event was officiated by the chief of the Philippine Army, Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete.
Luzon, who belongs to the Class 1994 of the Philippine Military Academy, had served as commander of the 101st Infantry Brigade prior to his designation as assistant commander of the division, then under Hambala.
The 10th ID covers mainly Region 11 and certain cities and provinces in Regions 10 and 13.
Vice Gov. Hadjiman Salliman, who was governor of Basilan while Luzon was at the helm of the 101st Infantry Brigade, said on Friday, October 31, that he appreciates his support to the peacebuilding activities of the local executives and sectoral leaders in their province that resulted in its having been declared as “Abu Sayyaf free” recently following the surrender of more than 400 members of the Abu Sayyaf terror in batches in recent years.
Salliman, the 101st Infantry Brigade, the mayors of the 11 towns and two cities in Basilan and their former congressional representative, the now Basilan Gov. Mujiv Hataman, and the units of the Basilan Provincial Police cooperated in clearing their province from the presence of the Abu Sayyaf via humanitarian and socio-economic interventions.
"To him we are thankful," Salliman said on Friday, referring to Luzon.
Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abrulrauf Macacua, chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, told reporters on Friday, October 31, that he is glad with Luzon’s having taken over the leadership of the 10th ID.
“The areas covered by that Army division are far from the Bangsamoro region, but there are towns and cities there that have Muslim communities that we care for. We are certain he will look up to them and help the police keep the peace in the Moro domains there,” Macacua said.
Photo shows Luzon and his predecessor, Hambala, marching through the parade ground at 10th ID’s headquarters as part of Wednesday’s event, personally led by their superior, Nafarrete. (October 31, 2025)