US envoy honors PH defense chief Lorenzana

MANILA, Philippines – Defense chief Delfin Lorenzana was honored by the US embassy this week for his contributions to the alliance between the Philippines and its treaty ally US.

“Ambassador Kim awarded the inaugural Major General Albert Jones Memorial Award to Secretary Lorenzana for his steadfast commitment and invaluable contributions to the alliance of the U.S. and the Republic of the Philippines,” according to the US embassy.

Lorenzana received the award on Wednesday, March 15, during the 70th anniversary celebration of the Joint US Military Assistance Group (Jusmag), the body that coordinates with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to facilitate joint training activities. 

The award is meant to recognize US and Philippine government officials who significantly contributed to the bilateral defense relationship of the two countries. 

Lorenzana said in a recent forum on national security that a Chinese ship was spotted surveying the Benham Rise area for as long as 3 months last year. The defense chief said the Philippines will not allow Chinese ships to return to the area.

The memorial award given to Lorenzana is named after the only American general who was among the 76,000 Filipino and American soldiers who went through the infamous Bataan Death March in 1942 during World War II. 

He was a prisoner of war for two years but was eventually released. Still, he returned to the Philippines in 1946 to lead a US mission that would turn into the current Jusmag. – Rappler.com