Eastmincom gets new commander

Major General Felimon Santos Jr. has been named the Commander of the Armed Forces' Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), replacing Major General Ronald Villanueva who had served the post in an acting capacity.

In a statement, the military said Santos will formally assume the Eastmincom leadership mantle on Monday, January 21, in a change of command ceremony to be held at Naval Station Felix Apolinario, Panacan, Davao City and presided by Armed Forces chief General Benjamin Madrigal Jr.

“Major General Santos is not new in Mindanao situation, and he is adept about wide ranging peace and security programs, not only in Mindanao but in the whole country having been [previously] assigned with the strategic offices of the Armed Forces which deal with military, intelligence and civil-military operations,” Madrigal said in a statement.

Prior to being named as the Eastmincom chief, Santos served as commander of the Philippine Army's 7th Infantry Division based in Fort Ramon Magsaysay, Laur, Palayan Nueva Ecija.

Santos also previously headed the 11th Intelligence Service Unit based in Davao City and subsequently became the group commander of the Intelligence Service Group, Philippine Army.

Davao City is the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Santos graduated from the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1986 and spent his younger years with the 39th Infantry Battalion, a unit deployed in various provinces in Mindanao.

Santos’ other assignments include: chief of operations of Central Command in the Visayas, head of the 703rd Infantry Brigade in Central Luzon, battalion commander of the 63rd Infantry Battalion in Samar Province and assistant division commander of the 6th Infantry Division, Philippine Army based in DOS, Awang Maguindanao.

Likewise, Santos had stints with the Armed Forces Civil Relations Service as well as the Civil Military Operations Group of the Philippine Army. — Llanesca T. Panti/RSJ, GMA News