Major General Leonardo I. Peña, commander of the Philippine Army’s 11th Infantry “Alakdan” Division and former commander of the 302nd Infantry “Achiever” Brigade in Negros Oriental, received the Outstanding PMA Alumnus Award — formally known as the “Ulirang Alumnus ng Akademiya” — during a Testimonial Parade and Review at the Philippine Military Academy’s Borromeo Field in Fort del Pilar, Baguio City, on September 19, 2026.
Peña was among 12 General and Flag Officers honored by the academy for distinguished service, exceptional leadership, and dedication throughout their military careers.
Peña’s Address to the Corps of Cadets
Speaking before the Corps of Cadets, Peña described military service as more than a profession — calling it “a way of life” defined by duty, discipline, sacrifice, friendship, and service to God, country, and people.
He offered three guiding principles to the cadets: “Leadership is responsibility; no commander succeeds alone; and train to follow and train to lead.”
“True leadership is not defined by rank, position, or authority, but by responsibility and by recognizing the value of the people one leads.” — MGen Leonardo I. Peña
Two and a Half Years Leading Negros Oriental Troops
Before his Mindanao assignment, Peña spent two years and six months as commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade, headquartered at Camp Leon Kilat in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental. His tenure covered some of the province’s most turbulent periods in recent memory.
These included the destruction wrought by Typhoon Odette in December 2021, the sustained campaign against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army, and the March 4, 2023 mass shooting in Pamplona that killed Governor Roel Degamo and eight others and left 17 wounded.
Response to the Degamo Assassination
In the hours after the attack on the governor’s residential compound, Peña announced that Army troops would assist the Philippine National Police in pursuit operations against the gunmen. Days later, he disclosed that three suspects — including a former Scout Ranger — had been dishonorably discharged from the Philippine Army for various offenses, according to statements attributed to Peña at the time.
When then Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and then AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino visited Negros Oriental following the killing, they called on the 302nd Brigade in Tanjay City, where a newly deployed Light Reaction Company was set to join the task force formed to restore order in the province.
Upon Peña’s designation as assistant division commander of the 3rd Infantry Division in late March 2023, then AFP Visayas Command chief Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo confirmed that Peña would remain in Negros Oriental for Joint Task Force Negros, which was tasked with restoring peace and order after the assassination.
Peña’s Own Assessment of His Tenure
At a thanksgiving fellowship before his departure in April 2023, Peña described the Degamo assassination as the biggest hurdle he faced as brigade commander. He noted that the government was able to resolve the case through the arrest of suspects and the filing of charges.
He also recognized farmers, civil society groups, government agencies, and members of the media for their contributions to peace and security in the province.
Career Path After Negros Oriental
After leaving Negros Oriental, Peña served as Assistant Division Commander of the 3rd Infantry “Spearhead” Division in Jamindan, Capiz. He assumed command of the 11th Infantry Division on August 9, 2024, in a change-of-command ceremony at Camp Teodulfo Bautista in Barangay Busbus, Jolo, Sulu, presided over by then Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Roy M. Galido. He succeeded his classmate, Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, who retired that month.
Peña was promoted from brigadier general to major general in October 2024, with 11th Infantry Division troops rendering full military honors at division headquarters on October 9 of that year.
Academic Credentials and Personal Background
A native of Batangas born on November 6, 1969, Peña is a member of PMA “Sambisig” Class of 1991. He is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and holds two master’s degrees: a Master of Science in Defense Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School in the United States, and a Master in Public Management, major in Development and Security, from the Development Academy of the Philippines.
The Alakdan Division
The 11th Infantry Division is headquartered in Jolo, Sulu, and operates under the AFP Western Mindanao Command. In his first address to troops in August 2024, Peña emphasized family and faith, mission accomplishment, and self-discipline as drivers of personal and organizational success, according to the Philippine Military Academy’s public affairs office.
By the Numbers
- 12 — General and Flag Officers honored at the September 19, 2026 PMA Testimonial Parade
- 2 years, 6 months — Peña’s tenure as commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade in Negros Oriental
- 9 — People killed in the March 4, 2023 Pamplona mass shooting, including Governor Roel Degamo
- 17 — People wounded in the same attack
- 3 — Suspects in the assassination disclosed by Peña to have been dishonorably discharged from the Philippine Army
- 2 — Master’s degrees held by Peña (Naval Postgraduate School, USA; Development Academy of the Philippines)
- November 6, 1969 — Peña’s date of birth; PMA Class of 1991
Why This Matters
The award recognizes a senior officer whose command in Negros Oriental spanned two of the province’s gravest crises — Typhoon Odette and the assassination of Governor Roel Degamo — placing his tenure at the center of the province’s most consequential security and disaster response efforts in recent years. The PMA’s formal recognition of Peña’s service puts on record the military’s institutional assessment of that period’s leadership. His three leadership principles, delivered to the next generation of officers at the Corps of Cadets, now form part of the academy’s public record on military doctrine and values.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of OCPA / Philippine Military Academy
