Major Gen. Alvin Parreño, deputy commander of a task force that freed Marawi City from a siege of Islamic militants in 2017, relinquished his post as commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps in a ceremony in Taguig City on Monday.

Capt. Felix Serapio, Philippine Marines spokesman, said the ceremony that was presided by Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command, Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad was held at Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown, Fort Bonifacio.

"Maj. Gen. Parreño charted the course of the Philippine Marines as the Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps for twenty-five months when he started on the 5th of September 2017," he said.

Parreno ''provided direction and guided the Corps in many accomplishments, notable of which are the acquisition of eight Amphibious Assault Vehicles, PMC as the best type command for the year 2019 of the Philippine Navy and the status of the organization as a key budgetary unit'', said Serapio.

Serapio said during the ceremony Parreño was replaced by Major Gen. Nathaniel Casem.

Serapio said prior being named the 32nd Marine Commandant, Casem was the Naval Inspector General of the Philippine Navy for 15 months.

"MGen. Casem is a highly decorated and respected Marine General from Bayombong, Nueva Ecija and a proud member of PMA Class 1987," he said.

Casem said in his speech, “our archipelagic nation deserves no less than a “Mission-Ready” Marine Corps. We, along with our brothers in the AFP, are in the middle of modernizing our warfighting capabilities, it would be for the best interest of our shared social values with our stakeholders that such should be done in the most efficient and effective manner." Robina Asido/DMS