Emmanuel Trinidad Bautista (born 20 July 1958) is a Filipino general who served as the 44th

Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (CSAFP) is the highest-ranking military officer (except for the President of the Philippines, who holds the position of Commander-in-Chief equivalent to a five-star general) and the head ...

as he succeeded Gen. Jessie Dellosa as AFP Chief. He served as the Executive Director of the Cabinet Cluster on Security, Justice, and Peace at the Office of the President, Malacañang. His appointment as Undersecretary at the Office of the President was from 1 September 2014 to 22 June 2020 shortly after retirement from the military service as Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines. Concurrently, he headed the National Task Force on the Whole of Nation Initiative and was also the executive Director of th
National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea
He was succeeded by

Gregorio Pio Catapang Gregorio Pio Punzalan Catapang, Jr., CCLH (born 11 July 1959) is a retired Filipino general who served as the 45th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He was the Vice Chief of Staff prior to his appointment as head of the arme ...

as AFP chief.

Early years and education

Bautista was born in

Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 2,960,048 people. It was fou ...

on 20 July 1958. Following the footsteps of his father, the late BGen Teodulfo Bautista, he entered the

Philippine Military Academy The Philippine Military Academy ( fil, Akademiyang Militar ng Pilipinas / es, Academia Militar de Filipinas) also referred to by its acronym PMA is the premier military academy for Filipinos aspiring for a commission as a military officer of ...

in 1976. He graduated 7th out of the 161 cadets belonging to the PMA Class of 1981, and was the recipient of the JUSMAG Saber award; the Commanding General, Philippine Army award; and the Distinguished Cadet Award. Upon his graduation from the PMA, General Bautista attended further military schoolings which include the Scout Ranger, Infantry Officer Advance, and Command and General Staff courses. He also went to various military trainings abroad, namely Grade II Staff & Tactics Course in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, Joint & Combined Warfighting at the

Joint Forces Staff College The Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC), located in Norfolk, Virginia, was established as the Armed Forces Staff College in 1946 and incorporated into the National Defense University in August 1981. It educates and acculturates joint and multina ...

National Defense University The National Defense University (NDU) is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level education, training, and professional development of national security leaders. As ...

in the United States of America, Security Sector Reform at the

Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) is a U.S. Department of Defense institute that officially opened Sept. 4, 1995, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Center addresses regional and global security issues, inviting militar ...

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

USA, Symposium on East Asia Security by the

US State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nati ...

and

United States Pacific Command United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is a unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region. Formerly known as United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) since its inception in 1947, ...

, and Senior Executive Seminar at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies,

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, and European Common Security and Defense Policy Orientation Seminar at the European Security and Defense College. He also holds a

Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accoun ...

degree from the

University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 20 ...

, Diliman.

Military career

Patikul Massacre while at the Philippine Military Academy

When Bautista was in PMA, the late Brig. Gen. Teodulfo Bautista, his father, and 34 of his men expected a favorable result to their peace talks with the rebels. Instead, they received gunshots and hack wounds leading to their untimely demise. Brig. Gen. Bautista, then the Commanding General of the 1st Infantry "Tabak" Division (1ID), was set to meet with rebel leader Usman Sali and his men to discuss the peaceful coexistence of the opposing parties in the region. He even invited the then Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen.

Fidel V. Ramos Fidel Valdez Ramos (, ; March 18, 1928 – July 31, 2022), popularly known as FVR and Eddie Ramos, was a Filipino general and politician who served as the 12th president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. He was the only career military ...

, and the then AFP Adjutant General Col. Gabriel Pangilinan to participate in the meeting but they refused due to their prior appointments. At the last minute, Sali proposed to the general that they meet at a public market in Patikul instead of the 18th Infantry Battalion's Headquarters. The general accepted and set off without any doubt to Sali's intentions. Brig. Gen. Bautista and his men aboard two military trucks went to the meeting place unarmed as a sign of goodwill but found no one in sight. They decided to sit in the nearby table and wait for Sali, only to be attacked the moment their guard was down. The troops were mercilessly shot and hacked. Only Sgt. Oliver Calzada survived the attack by playing dead while his comrades were being killed right before his eyes. After the treacherous attack, Sali fled to Malaysia but some reports indicate that Usman Sali died during subsequent government operations. The military was devastated upon hearing the outcome of what was supposed to be a peaceful meeting between the opposing sides. Brig. Gen. Bautista's son, Emmanuel T. Bautista, was then a young plebe at the

when the news reached him. Despite grieving the loss of his father, the young Bautista pushed himself to excel in his training. He placed seventh among the 161 graduates of Class 1981 and went on to hold various leadership positions in the

Philippine Army The Philippine Army (PA) (Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the ...

Philippine Army

Bautista was assigned as a

platoon leader {{unreferenced, date=February 2013 A platoon leader (NATO) or platoon commander (more common in Commonwealth militaries and the US Marine Corps) is the officer in charge of a platoon. This person is usually a junior officer – a second or first ...

of the 26th Infantry Battalion in

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...

;

Company commander A company commander is the commanding officer of a company, a military unit which typically consists of 100 to 250 soldiers, often organized into three or four smaller units called platoons. The exact organization of a company varies by countr ...

of the 7th Scout Ranger Company; Battalion commander of the 24th Infantry Battalion; the

Brigade commander A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. ...

of the 702nd Infantry Brigade in Central Luzon; and as the

Commanding general The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitud ...

of the 3rd Infantry Division in

Western Visayas Western Visayas ( hil, Kabisay-an Nakatundan; tl, Kanlurang Kabisayaan or ''Kanlurang Visayas'') is an administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VI. It consists of six provinces (Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras ...

. He held several staff positions in both the

and the General Headquarters, AFP. He assumed the positions of Chief of Staff of the 7th Infantry Division, PA; Chief of Staff of the Special Operations Command, PA; Secretary Army General Staff; and Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, G3, PA. He also served as Senior Military Adviser to the Secretary of National Defense; Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, J5, AFP; and The Internal Auditor, AFP. In 2010, Bautista served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, J3, AFP. As the J3, he led the crafting of the AFP Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) "Bayanihan". IPSP "Bayanihan" introduced a paradigm shift in the AFP from "defeating the enemy" to "winning the peace" with utmost emphasis on respect for

human rights Human rights are moral principles or normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for certain standards of hu ...

international humanitarian law International humanitarian law (IHL), also referred to as the laws of armed conflict, is the law that regulates the conduct of war ('' jus in bello''). It is a branch of international law that seeks to limit the effects of armed conflict by pro ...

, rule of law, and multi-stakeholder engagement. On 9 November 2011, Bautista assumed command of the 85,000-strong Philippine Army during a critical period in the organization's reform. Under his leadership, the Philippine Army furthered its pursuit of the Army Transformation Roadmap (ATR). The ATR is a transformation program founded on good governance and performance excellence. During his command, the Philippine Army stabilized its transformation, raised levels of troop discipline and professionalism, developed capabilities and enhanced training, and focused on stakeholder engagements and peace building efforts.

AFP Chief of Staff

On 17 January 2013, Bautista was appointed by President

Benigno Aquino III Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...

as the 44th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. His leadership of the AFP was anchored on the fulfillment of its constitutional mandate through the Internal Peace and Security Plan "Bayanihan" and its pursuit of Security Sector Reform initiatives through the Armed Forces of the Philippines Transformation Roadmap. In February 2014, Bautista garnering praise from Filipino

netizen The term netizen is a portmanteau of the English words ''internet'' and ''citizen'', as in a "citizen of the net" or "net citizen". It describes a person actively involved in online communities or the Internet in general.

s for sending a helicopter to the aid of victims of a bus crash in Mountain Province upon the request of RockEd Philippines founder

Gang Badoy Therese "Gang" Tianco Badoy Capati, still often referred to by her maiden name, Gang Badoy, is a radio and television host, feature writer, businesswoman, and educator from the Philippines, best known for founding RockEd Philippines, an advocacy a ...

, who unknowingly named the AFP Chief of Staff "Manny Sundalo" in her cellphone's directory. He retired from military service on 18 July 2014.

Awards and achievements

Bautista is a recipient of several military and civilian distinctions, seven of which are combat decorations. His military awards include seven Distinguished Service Stars, a Gold Cross for gallantry in action, a

Bronze Cross Medal The Bronze Cross MedalThe AFP Adjutant General, ''AFP Awards and Decorations Handbook'', 1997, OTAG, p. 29. is a single grade military decoration of the Armed Forces of the Philippines which is awarded for "heroism involving risk of life" under co ...

for bravery, a

Philippine Legion of Honor The Philippine Legion of Honor ( fil, Lehiyong Pandangal ng Pilipinas; es, Legion de Honor Filipino) was established by President Manuel Roxas, through Philippine Army Circular No. 60 dated July 3, 1947. The Philippine Legion of Honor was patterne ...

with the degree of an Officer, a Philippine Legion of Honor with the degree of Commander as the Commanding General, Philippine Army, and a Philippine Legion of Honor with the degree of Chief Commander as Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines. He also received four Outstanding Achievement Medals, 29 Military Merit Medals, several

Military Commendation Medal The Military Commendation Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is presented for exemplary execution of military duty. Description The medal is a three-pointed star, made of bronze color ...

s and various military campaign medals and ribbons. In 2014, Bautista was also conferred the Honorary Malaysian Armed Forces Order for Valour, Warrior of the Malaysian Armed Forces for his contributions in strengthening bilateral ties and fostering mutual cooperation between the Malaysian Armed Forces and the

Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...

. He was also awarded the Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama "The Grand Meritorious Military Order – 1st Class" by the Republic of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

, the highest award given to those serving in foreign armed services. Bautista also earned a number of recognitions from local government officials during his various tours of duty and from national civilian agencies with which the units he commanded worked together in pursuit of peace and national development goals. He received an outstanding alumni award from the

as well as from the

College of Business Administration. He was also conferred with the

Alumnus of the Year for 2013 for his contribution to reform the security sector of the Philippines. In 2014, he was awarded the University of the Philippines Distinguished Alumni Award for Peace and Social Cohesion. He was also awarded the CEO Excel Award for top business and organizational leaders by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines. * Philippines_Presidential_Unit_Citation

Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation The Philippine Presidential Unit citation BadgeThe AFP Adjutant General, ''Awards and Decorations Handbook'', 1997, OTAG, p. 65. is a unit decoration of the Republic of the Philippines. It has been awarded to certain units of the United States mil ...

Martial Law Unit Citation * PHL People Power I Unit Citation

People Power I Unit Citation * PHL People Power II Unit Citation

People Power II Unit Citation * PHL Distinguished Service Star BAR

Distinguished Service Star * PHL Gold Cross

Gold Cross Medal * PHL Legion of Honor - Chief Commander BAR

-Degree of Chief Commander * PHL Military Merit Medal

Military Merit Medal (Philippines) The Military Merit MedalThe AFP Adjutant General, ''AFP Awards and Decorations Handbook'', 1997, OTAG, p. 34-35. is a military decoration of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The medal is awarded for heroic achievement or meritorious service du ...

Silver Wing Medal This Silver Wing Medal is a military decoration awarded by Armed Forces of the Philippines to Philippine and allied military personnel. The Silver Wing Medal is awarded in only one class, and may be awarded by the Chief of Staff The title chief ...