Military’s psy-ops man now head of elite Army unit

From Malaya Business Insight (Jan 8): Military’s psy-ops man now head of elite Army unit

PRESIDENT Duterte has designated the top psychological operations officer of the Armed Forces as new commander of the Special Operations Command (Socom), an elite unit under the Philippine Army.

Maj. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista is due to assume his new post today during rites to be presided by Army chief Lt. Gen. Rolando Bautista at the Socom headquarters in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

Evangelista is outgoing commander of the AFP’s Civil Relations Service, which is the military’s psy-ops arm. The unit is based at the military’s general headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo. There is yet no words as to who will be the new CRS chief.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1986, Evangelista replaces Lt. Gen. Danilo Pamonag (PMA Class 1985) who assumed the post of commander of the Lucena City-based Southern Luzon Command last month.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Rey Tiongson described Evangelista as a “warrior-diplomat” and an “innovative” officer.

He said that as Evangelista, as CRS commander, emphasized that CRS personnel “cannot literally kill the enemies through civil-military operations, but they can destroy their will to fight.”

“His priority is attaining measure of effect rather than measure of performance. He deems that no matter how much effort is put into an endeavor, if the public does not benefit from it, then, it becomes a wasted effort,” he added.

As the Socom commander, Evangelista will have control over subordinate elite units such as the First Scout Ranger Regiment, the Special Forces Regiment, and the Light Reaction Regiment.

Evangelista assumed the top CRS post in December 2016. Before that, he was deputy commander of the AFP’s Eastern Mindanao Command based in Davao City (January to December 2016) and head of the Special Forces Regiment in Fort Magsaysay (January 2013 to January 2016).

He also served as commander of the 6th Special Forces Battalion that liberated Bohol from the New People’s Army.

Evangelista is a recipient of three Distinguished Service Stars and many other medals and decorations, including Gawad sa Kaunlaran, a Bronze Cross Medal, and merit and commendation medals.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/military%E2%80%99s-psy-ops-man-now-head-elite-army-unit