Major General Steve Crespillo, an experienced combatant who hunted communist rebels in the Cordilleras and Northern Luzon, was appointed as the 17th commander of the Philippine Army’s (PA) Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom), the Department of National Defense (DND) bared Saturday, August 26.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved Crespillo’s designation as WestMinCom commander to succeed Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, who was promoted as the new Army chief last month.
It was sort of a homecoming for Crespillo as he previously served as Chief of the Unified Command Staff of WestMinCom where he oversaw military operations in the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9), Northern Mindanao (Region 10), and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Crespillo is the current PA vice commander, having been chairperson of various boards and committees and performing oversight functions on key policies, plans, and programs. His successor is yet to be named.
Prior to the appointment, he also served as the commander of the 501st Infantry Brigade, 5th Infantry Division based in Lal-lo, Cagayan where he led his troops in ending the local communist armed conflict in Apayao and Cagayan.
During his time at the 501st Infantry Brigade, the military said that the East and West Guerilla Fronts of the New People’s Army (NPA) Komiteng Probinsya Cagayan, Komiteng Rehiyon-Cagayan Valley were dismantled.
He also held other key positions in the Army such as Chief of Staff and Assistant Division Commander for Reservist and Retiree Affairs of the 6th Infantry Division based in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao; and acting commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade based in Ampatuan, Maguindanao.
Crespillo is a product of the Philippine Military Academy “Bigkis-Lahi” Class of 1990, belonging to the Judo Corps Squad and Wrestling Corps Squad.
He has a Master’s degree in Development Management at the Asian Institute of Management.