A formal military ceremony at Camp Peralta in Jamindan, Capiz on July 15, 2026 marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry “Spearhead” Division, as Brigadier General Joey A. Escanillas officially took the helm from outgoing commander Major General Michael G. Samson, who retired from active service in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony was presided over by Philippine Army Commanding General Lieutenant General Antonio G. Nafarrete, who formally welcomed Escanillas into his new role while paying tribute to the accomplishments of his predecessor.
A Strategic Region Under New Leadership
The 3rd Infantry Division holds responsibility over Western and Central Visayas — a region that Lt. Gen. Nafarrete described as central to the country’s security architecture. In remarks delivered during the ceremony, Nafarrete stressed the importance of maintaining the gains already secured across the division’s territory.
“This region serves as a pillar of resilience. Thus, making the most out of joint partnerships and empowering reservists as crucial force multipliers will be vital in ensuring that it remains so,” Nafarrete said, according to the Philippine Army.
The Army’s commanding general framed the incoming commander’s mandate not around active combat operations, but around the harder work of sustaining stability — a signal that the division’s strategic posture has fundamentally shifted in recent years.
Outgoing Commander Credited With Defeating Guerrilla Fronts
Before handing over command, Maj. Gen. Samson received recognition from Lt. Gen. Nafarrete for the significant security milestones achieved during his tenure. The Philippine Army credited Samson with leading operations that dismantled communist guerrilla fronts in the provinces of Capiz and Iloilo — among the most historically insurgency-affected areas within the division’s area of responsibility.
One of the most consequential developments under Samson’s watch was the attainment of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status across the division’s area — a classification that was subsequently extended to the provinces of Iloilo and Antique. Nafarrete described this expansion as “a definitive marker” in the 3ID’s internal security campaign, underscoring just how much ground had been gained before the command transition took place.
The SIPS designation reflects a formal military assessment that active guerrilla threats have been sufficiently neutralized to allow communities to transition toward civilian-led governance and development without active military counter-insurgency operations dominating day-to-day life.
Escanillas Arrives With Direct Operational Background
The incoming commander is no stranger to the 3ID’s operating environment. Prior to assuming the division’s top post, Escanillas served as Assistant Division Commander under Samson, giving him firsthand exposure to the command’s structure, personnel, and ongoing programs.
A member of the Philippine Military Academy’s “Maalab” Class of 1993, Escanillas brings decades of military experience into the role, according to the Philippine Army. Notably, he previously commanded the 302nd Infantry “Achiever” Brigade — an assignment he held from May 2023 to August 2025 in Negros Oriental.
During that two-year command in Negros Oriental, Escanillas led operations that resulted in the dismantling of the South West Front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros, which the Army identified as the principal organizational backbone of the communist insurgency on Negros Island. The Philippine Army has credited this achievement as a key contributor to the broader declaration that Negros Island was no longer hosting active New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla fronts.
That record in Negros Oriental — dismantling a deeply embedded insurgent structure — now forms a central part of the experience Escanillas brings to a division-wide command that covers an even broader and more complex security landscape.
Division Posture Shifts Toward Peace Consolidation
With the ceremony concluded and the change of command complete, Escanillas now oversees a division that has already undergone a major strategic realignment. The 3ID, which once focused primarily on active internal security operations against communist armed groups, is now tasked with consolidating and protecting the peace that has been built across Western and Central Visayas over years of military and civilian cooperation.
The Philippine Army noted that Nafarrete’s remarks at the ceremony pointed explicitly to two priorities for the new commander: deepening joint partnerships with local government units and civil society, and empowering military reservists to serve as force multipliers in sustaining security without requiring large-scale active military deployments.
This posture reflects a broader shift in how the Armed Forces of the Philippines approaches regions where insurgency has been significantly degraded — moving from a combat-focused model toward one that prioritizes governance support, community engagement, and the institutionalization of peace through civilian and reserve military structures.
For the communities across Western and Central Visayas, the transition signals that the heavy lifting of counter-insurgency may be largely behind them — though the work of maintaining that hard-won stability falls squarely on the shoulders of the division’s new leader.
By the Numbers
- July 15, 2026 — Date of the Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony at Camp Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz
- Class of 1993 — Escanillas’ Philippine Military Academy graduating class (“Maalab”)
- May 2023 to August 2025 — Period of Escanillas’ command of the 302nd Infantry “Achiever” Brigade in Negros Oriental
- 3 provinces — Iloilo, Antique, and the 3ID’s core operational area have achieved Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status
Why This Matters
The handover of command at the 3rd Infantry “Spearhead” Division represents a significant moment for one of the Philippine Army’s most consequential regional commands, which the Armed Forces of the Philippines has credited with dismantling communist guerrilla structures across Western and Central Visayas and Negros Island. The new commander’s operational record — particularly his role in breaking apart the South West Front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros — positions him as a leader already proven in the work the division has been conducting. Lt. Gen. Nafarrete’s emphasis on reservist empowerment and joint civil-military partnerships indicates that the 3ID’s priorities under Escanillas will center on locking in the security gains already achieved, rather than pursuing new active counter-insurgency campaigns.
Source: Breaking News Negros Oriental / Philippine Army
