CAMP SANG-AN, ZDS – The 1st Infantry Division (1ID), Philippine Army’s assistant division commander, has “dropped his working tools” due to the coronavirus disease Monday morning (5:19 am), September 6.
Brig. Gen. Bagnus P. Gaerlan Jr. died due to Acute Respiratory Failure Secondary to COVID Pneumonia, COVID-19 Confirmed (Severe) according to Dr. Anatalio E. Cagampang Jr., the hospital chief of Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center (ZDSMC) in Pagadian City.
Gaerlan was evacuated to the ZDSMC after testing positive for COVID-19 through a rapid antigen test last September 2. The hospital performed a confirmatory RT-PCR test last September 3, which also yielded the same result.
Gaerlan is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1989.
He was the commanding officer of the 44th Infantry Battalion (44IB) from 2009-2010 and the 5th Infantry Battalion (5IB) from 2010-2012. During his stint as CO, 5IB, his focus was on the rationalization of the CAFGU Company area jurisdiction and the enhancement of the CAA training program.
Before his designation as assistant division commander, Gaerlan was the former 102nd Infantry Brigade Commander from June 2018 to August 2019, operating in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Misamis Occidental. 102Bde is based in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
During his tenure as brigade commander, he received various honors and recognition for exceptionally meritorious and irreplaceable services provided in a position of considerable responsibility.
“Bagnus is the fourth member of the class to drop their working tools due to COVID-19,” said Maj. Gen. Ernesto Torres Jr., Army chapter president of PMA Class 1989.
The 1st Infantry Division commander, at the same time the acting commander of the Western Mindanao Command, AFP, sends his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.