The Philippine Army welcomed Col. Isagani O. Criste as the new commander of the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR) in a Change of Command Ceremony, presided by Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Commanding General, Philippine Army Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr. at Camp Pablo Tecson, San Miguel, Bulacan on July 26, 2023.
Col. Criste served as the deputy commander of the FSRR for nearly two years prior to his new designation. He held key staff and command positions such as Group Inspector General of the Presidential Security Group (PSG), Commanding Officer of the 29th Infantry Battalion, and Assistant Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations of the 4th Infantry Division. Col. Criste is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) "Bantay-Laya" Class of 1994. He holds a Master of Arts in Foreign Service from the Philippine Women's University and a Master in Public Management from the Development Academy of the Philippines.
Meanwhile, outgoing Regiment Commander Maj. Gen. Freddie T. Dela Cruz took the helm of Special Operations Command (SOCOM) last June 15, 2023. He held diverse military positions, such as the Group Deputy Commander of the PSG, Assistant Chief of Unified Command Staff (ACUCS) for Operations of the Southern Luzon Command, and Commanding Officer of the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion. He holds a Master's in Public Management from the University of Negros Occidental Recoletos and a Master's in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines. He belongs to the PMA "Tanglaw-Diwa" Class of 1992.
Gen. Brawner, in his keynote speech, lauded Maj. Gen. Dela Cruz for his fruitful leadership in FSRR. The AFP Chief also expressed confidence that the newly designated regiment commander, Col. Criste, will continue the organization's legacy. "To all the personnel of FSRR, I urged you to extend the same level of support to your new commander and show more enthusiasm for your respective duties. The AFP has so much to do and to accomplish, and the AFP leadership is expectant of your unit's relentless commitment in realizing the collective vision of becoming a world-class Armed Forces, a source of national pride," Gen. Brawner said.
Photos by SSg Cesar P. Lopez, OACPA