THE 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division of the Philippine Army announced the appointment of Brigadier General Leonardo I. Peña as its new assistant division commander on Thursday, April 27, 2023.

Peña urged all Spearhead Troopers to rally behind the commander while also promising to be a valuable team player, as per the news report.

Meanwhile, Major General Marion Sison extended his congratulations to Peña on his deserving appointment and expressed his full confidence and trust in his "Mistah" as a partner in managing the Division.

During his speech, Peña expressed his commitment to serving God, country and people through his role as assistant division commander in support of the 3ID Commander.

"We should have acquired the wisdom and understanding from the Lord. And we should not be afraid of sacrificing our lives, for we have a country that is worth fighting for," Peña said.

Before being appointed as the assistant division commander of the 3ID, Peña held the position of commander for the 302nd Infantry Brigade.

Under his leadership, the 302nd Brigade was acknowledged and awarded by higher headquarters for its commendable performance in administrative and operational areas. The brigade was honored with the Best Maneuver Brigade for CY 2022 by the 3rd Infantry Division, received the AFP Campaign Streamer for successfully dismantling guerrilla forces, and was conferred with the Proficiency Status and Gold Trailblazer Award under the Army Transformation Roadmap.

Peña held important positions as the commanding officer of the 61st Infantry Battalion (61st IB) and the deputy brigade commander of the 301st Infantry Brigade (301st IB).

He holds a master's degree in defense analysis (National Security Affairs) from the Naval Post Graduate School in California, the United States, and a master's degree in public management with a concentration in development and security from the Development Academy of the Philippines.

Peña is a member of the Philippine Military Academy's "Sambisig" Class of 1991. (Suntar Philippines)