Jaime de los Santos

Jaime de los Santos (born April 1946 in Nueva Ecija, Philippines) is a retired Filipino military general who led the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) and the first Filipino officer to lead an international peacekeeping force on foreign soil. He also served as chief of staff and the commanding general of the Philippine Army.

Jaime de los Santos
Commanding General Philippine Army
In office 2001–2002
Preceded by	LGen. Diomedio Villanueva
Succeeded by	LGen. Dionisio Santiago
Deputy Chief of Staff Armed Forces of the Philippines
In office October 2000 – July 2001
Preceded by	Rear Admiral Napoleon Baylon
Succeeded by	Major General Narciso Abaya
Commander UNTAET
In office February 2000 – July 2000
Preceded by	Peter Cosgrove INTERFET
Succeeded by	Lieutenant General Boonsrang Niumpradit
AFP Visayas Command
In office 1999–2000
Preceded by	Major General Julius Javier
Succeeded by	Rear Admiral Napoleon Baylon
Superintendent Philippine Military Academy
In office 1998–1999
Preceded by	Commodore Juan De Leon
Succeeded by	Maj. Gen. Manuel Carranza
Personal details
Born	(1946-04-02) 2 April 1946 (age 78) Nueva Ecija, Commonwealth of the Philippines
Education	Bachelor of Science Degree (1969)
Alma mater	Philippine Military Academy (1969)
Military service
Allegiance	Philippines
Branch/service	Philippine Army
Years of service	1969–2002
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	Commanding General of the Philippine Army Commander AFP Visayas Command Superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy Force Commander of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET)
Battles/wars	Communist rebellion in the Philippines Moro conflict

De los Santos joined the Philippine Army in 1969 after graduating from the Philippine Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Military Engineering. De los Santos later on served as a brigade commander, chief of staff and commanding general of an infantry division and superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy.

In December 1999, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed de los Santos as the Force Commander of the UNTAET. The International Force East Timor (INTERFET) commanded by Australian Major General Peter Cosgrove transitioned to the UNTAET Peacekeeping Force on 23 February 2000.^[1][2] Thus, Santos became the first Filipino officer to lead an international peacekeeping force.

In 2001, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed de los Santos as the chief of staff and the commanding general of the Philippine Army of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He retired from military service in April 2002.