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Draft:Jaime Callada Echeverria

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Jaime Callada Echeverria (born December 3, 1933, died February 20, 2010) was a Filipino military general and member of the Zenarosa panel.

Early life & family

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Brigadier General Jaime Callada Echeverria was born in Albay, Philippines to Teofilo Echeverria y Zubeldia.[1], a Basque immigrant from Pueyo, Navarre and Simeona Cao Callada, a native of Malinao, Albay. He grew up with 9 brothers and 2 sisters, including Waiting for Sunrise Till Dusk[2] author, Teofilo Callada Echeverria.

Through his grandmother, Micaela Zubeldia y Arguiñena[3], he was the second cousin once-removed of Juan Jose Zubieta Zubeldia [1], a member of the now-defunct Basque nationalist organization ETA. He was the uncle of retired Philippine Marine Corps General Orlando Echeverria de Leon[4] and Marine Environmental Protection Command Commander, Philippine Coast Guard Vice Admiral Roy Echeverria.

Echeverria's family lived in Payo (now Panganiban) before the outbreak of World War II and moved to a property called Suminimsim in Catanduanes to elude Japanese soldiers who had occupied the towns and villages.[2] The family then moved to Viga, Catanduanes after the war, and because of the nature of his father's work, the family moved numerous times to Tabaco, Casiguran, and finally Bulan, where his father finally settled and retired[2]. The family kept a house in Tabaco which remains in the Echeverria family to this day[2].

Personal life

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He was married to Marilyn Cababaros Neri[5].

Education & career

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He graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1957.

A Vietnam War veteran as part of the Philippine Civic Action Group (PHILCAG)[6], he was given a Distinguished Service Star, a gold, silver, and bronze cross medals. He was also a recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Star, the second highest medal in the military[7]. When he was Colonel, he commanded the Army Seaborne Brigade[8].

Echeverria was the Regional Unified Command XI Commanding General and was in charge of the anti-rebel campaign in five Mindanao provinces to halt the rapid growth of the Communist insurgency in the Philippines.[9]

He was president of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO) from 1980 to 2000 as well as a director of the Armed Forces and Police Savings & Loan Association, Inc. (AFPSLAI).

He was a member of the Zenarosa panel[10], also known as the Independent Commission Against Private Armies (ICAPA), created by Administrative Order 275 issued by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, before his death[11][12]. The commission was formed by President Arroyo to dismantle private armed groups after the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

Awards and decorations

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Personal military decorations

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Alleged coup involvement

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In the aftermath of the People Power Revolution in February 1986, BGen Echeverria, then RUC XI commander in Davao del Norte[13], was relieved of his duties after the civilian-backed military coup ousted President Ferdinand Marcos and installed President Corazon Aquino as the country's leader[14].

Echeverria, along with three other generals, was implicated in the first coup attempt against Aquino in July 1986 when political allies of the late deposed President Marcos started the siege of the Manila Hotel and declared a breakaway government.[15] Charges against Echeverria and others accused in that coup attempt were dropped after they pledged allegiance to the Aquino government. He was also implicated in the 1989 Philippine coup attempt along with BGen. Felix Brawner Jr.[15]

Politics

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During the 1992 Philippine general election, Gen. Echeverria unsuccessfully ran for senator under the ticket of former First Lady Imelda Marcos and her political party Kilusang Bagong Lipunan[16]

Death

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BGen Echeverria died of a heart attack on February 20, 2010 at the age of 76[11]. His body lay in wake at the Heritage Park in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig before he was buried on February 24, 2010 at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

References

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  1. ^ FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:H6J1-1YZM. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d Echeverria, Teofilo (2012-10-24). Waiting for Sunrise Till Dusk. AuthorHouse. ISBN 9781477241936.
  3. ^ FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:H66X-Q3T2. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ Hu, Yuwei. "Philippine govt scapegoats former commander for reaching new agreement with China on disputes, triggering wide discontent and insider revelations - Global Times". www.globaltimes.cn. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  5. ^ www.familysearch.org https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:H17S-LD2M%20:%2010%20November%202023. Retrieved 2024-10-14. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ Beroad, Miguel A. (1968). "The First Year of the PHILCAG in Viet Nam". Philippine Studies. 16 (1): 131–154. ISSN 0031-7837. JSTOR 42720576.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Echeverria, Jaime Callada (October 1, 1983). The Sulu Seacats after 5 years of existence... (1st ed.). Philippines: Philippine Army (Restricted) (published 1983).{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  8. ^ "Philippine Army Seaborne Forces". philippinenavy.tripod.com. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  9. ^ Lohr, Steve (1985-05-13). "QUELLING THE PHILIPPINE INSURGENCY: NO EASY TASK". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  10. ^ "University of Minnesota Human Rights Library". hrlibrary.umn.edu. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  11. ^ a b "Anti-private army panel member dies of heart attack". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  12. ^ "Philippines: Independent Commission Against Private Armies Works Toward Safe and Credible Elections". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  13. ^ Upi (1984-03-26). "AROUND THE WORLD; 60 Rebels Said to Die In Philippine Flare-Up". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  14. ^ "Former Philippine general accused of corruption - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  15. ^ a b "Rebellion charges filed against two retired generals - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  16. ^ "1992 Philippine Senate election", Wikipedia, 2024-09-05, retrieved 2024-10-14