De la Rosa ‘mistah’ is new Army special operations commander

From the Manila Times (Jan 7): De la Rosa ‘mistah’ is new Army special operations commander  

A “MISTAH” (classmate) of Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald de la Rosa has been assigned to head the Army’s Special Operations Command, the military said on Sunday.

Maj. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista, former commander of the Armed Forces’ Civil Relations Service (CRS), will replace Lt. Gen. Danilo Pamonag, who was assigned in December to the military’s Southern Luzon Command (Solcom).

Evangelista assumed the CRS post on November 2016, replacing Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Parayno, now the commander of the Philippine Army’s Rizal-based 2nd Infantry Division.

Prior to being the CRS commander, Evangelista was a battalion commander until he became a regiment commander from November 2013 to January 2016.

He was also designated deputy commander of the military’s Davao-based Eastern Mindanao Command until his appointment to the CRS.

“One of his very significant assignments is at the 6th Special Forces Battalion (SFBN) where, as Commander, he was able to lead his men to calculated campaigns against insurgency in Bohol. With his competent leadership, the province was liberated from agitations and attacks by the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels,” his profile read.

It was during his stint at the CRS when the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) launched the sale of “Support Our Troops” t-shirts for soldiers who fought the Islamic State-linked Maute terrorists in Marawi City.

Evangelista belongs to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Sinagtala” Class of 1986, which counts de la Rosa as a member.

Maj. Gen. Alvin Parreno, commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, is also a “mistah.”

Pamonag is a member of the PMA “Sandiwa” Class of 1985.

A change of command ceremony will be held today, Monday, at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija.

http://www.manilatimes.net/de-la-rosa-mistah-new-army-special-operations-commander/372875/