Dickson Peñas Hermoso[1] is a Filipino government official and former military official who serves as the head of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Bangsamoro. He was also known for being part of the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division which was involved in the Moro conflict.
Dickson Hermoso | |
|---|---|
| Bangsamoro Minister of Transportation and Communications | |
| In office July 15, 2019 – September 23, 2022 | |
| Succeeded by | Paisalin Tago |
| Personal details | |
| Citizenship | Filipino |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Philippines |
| Service | Philippine Army |
| Years of service | ?–2016 |
| Unit | 6th Infantry Division |
| Battles / wars | Moro conflict |
Military career
editA native of Cotabato,[2] Hermoso served for about three decades in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. As part of the Philippine Army, he was part of the 6th Infantry Division (6th ID) which fought against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao until the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro in 2014 between the national government and the MILF. He was also simultaneously involved in the Mindanao peace process. In 2004, as an Army major, he became the head of the national government's Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities and in 2013 as a colonel and 6th ID spokesperson managed to accomplish an absence of hostilities between the military and the MILF.[3] He also led offensives against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters such as Operation Darkhorse in 2014.[4]
He was also involved in peace negotiations with the Rebolusyonaryo Partido Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPM-P/RPA/ABB) and the Cordillera People's Liberation Army (CPLA) as part of the government's technical working groups.[1]
He was also spokesperson for the 6th ID. He retired from service in 2016 as inspector general of the 6th ID.[3]
Government
editPresident Rodrigo Duterte appointed Heromoso as assistant spokesperson of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process in January 2017.[3]
Hermoso became part of the MILF-led Bangsamoro regional government when Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim appointed him as head of the region's Ministry of Transportation and Communications on July 15, 2020. He became the region's first Christian minister.[3] As transport minister, he resolved a leadership dispute in the Maritime Industry Authority's Tawi Tawi provincial office.[5] He also oversaw the transfer of six airports in the region managed by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to the Bangsamoro Airport Authority.[6]
Hermoso tendered courtesy resignation on February 16, 2022 as per a directive by Ebrahim as part of a wider reorganization of the regional head's cabinet. Ebrahim decided to keep him two days later, rejecting his resignation.[7] He would serve for a few more months until the appointment of Paisalin Tago as his successor on September 23, 2022.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b "Dickson Peñas Hermoso". Institute for Autonomy and Governance. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ "BTC version of BBL gets rousing approval – OPAPP exec". InterAksyon. February 17, 2018. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Sarmiento, Bong (July 16, 2019). "Ex-military exec joins Bangsamoro cabinet". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
- ^ "AFP raids BIFF lairs". Retrieved 5 September 2016.
- ^ Fernandez, Edwin (August 17, 2019). "MOTC-BARMM minister resolves Tawi-Tawi port leadership row". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- ^ Fernandez, Edwin (22 September 2022). "Airports in Bangsamoro now managed by BARMM gov't". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ "MOTC Top Officials retain Positions - Ministry of Transportation Communications". Ministry of Transportation and Communications. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ^ Untalan, Sherylin (24 September 2022). "New, re-appointed Bangsamoro Cabinet members take their oaths of office". GMA News. Retrieved 24 September 2022.