Vicente S. Santos Jr.

He died on February 17, 2012, due to lung complications caused by the disability he incurred while defending the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in one of the bloodiest coup d'état of the 1986–90 Philippine coup attempts. The coup attempt was led by then Col. Gregorio Honasan, a friend and colleague of his.

After several months of praying and coordinating with government agencies, the book was finally launched on May 17, 2011, at the AFP Theatre, Camp Aguinaldo; coincidentally it was also his birthday. The latest volume of this book was co-published by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) through the support of Undersecretary of National Defense Ernesto G. Carolina.

Santos went on to serve his nation through writing of several military books and publications. He also participated in the development of his community. In 1997, he was appointed as a Public Information Officer of Brgy. Putatan, Muntinlupa by Col. Pablo E. Salamat, who was then the Barangay Chairman of Putatan, Muntinlupa. He also became a columnist and Editor-in-chief of "Ang Bagong Kalayaan" newspaper (1996); and "Balita sa Barangay" (The first Barangay Newsletter in the Philippines, and the official newsletter of Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa – 1997).

Although, he was insistent to continue serving his nation in the Armed Forces of the Philippines; his body could no longer fully perform the physical rigors of a soldier. Upon the advice of his military doctors, Santos inevitably opted to file for a Complete Disability Discharge (CDD) paving way for his early retirement on September 30, 1991.

Santos also edited Balita sa Kampo (the official newsletter of AFP in 1990) and was a member of the Philippine Army Ad Hoc Committee on the National Language Propagation (1974). He also became a columnist and Editor-in-chief of Ang Bagong Kalayaan newspaper (1996), the Balita sa Barangay (the first Barangay newsletter in the Philippines and the official newsletter of Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa – 1997).

During the attempt to overthrow the Corazon Aquino government in 1987, Santos was one of the defenders of the General Headquarters Building located at the center of Camp Aguinaldo, the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The GHQ building was burned to the ground during an attack by rebel forces of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement, and Santos sustained serious injuries to his lungs; injuries which eventually caused him to take a Complete Disability Discharge (CDD) and retire from military service in 1991.

After the bloodiest coup attempt of 1987, Santos' health slowly deteriorated as a result of his taking part in the defense of the AFP GHQ building, which the rebel soldiers razed to the ground.

During the incumbency of then Gen. Hermogenes Esperon as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, a hall inside the AFP General Headquarters was named in honor of Santos. Santos Hall was a recognition of his plight in the burning GHQ building during the defense of the Camp Aguinaldo against the bloodiest coup attempt of August 1987.

Santos married the former Erlinda Solis Tolete on June 22, 1969. Erlinda Santos was a public school teacher, and also a civil servant. They have six children, Vicente III, Benhur, Singapor, Vicerly, Pilipino and Fabian.

He graduated at the University of the Philippines with a degree in AB Social Science in 1966. He also showed interest in the military when he graduated on the top of his Advance University of the Philippines ROTC Class of 1966 at the University of the Philippines Diliman Campus as a cadet colonel and class valedictorian.

Having completed 25 years of service, starting from January 17, 1966, to September 29, 1991; Santos retired from the military service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the grade of colonel pursuant to Sections 7, 9 and 17 of Presidential Decree 1638, and AFP General Orders 932 dated December 7, 1992.

He took his secondary education in Southern Christian College and graduated valedictorian in 1961.

Vicente "Vic" Sumajit Santos Jr. (May 17, 1944 – February 17, 2012) was a colonel of the Philippine Army – Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He is the author of several military books and other publications, as well as the founding president of Kapatiran ng mga Kawal na Makawikang Pilipino (KAKAMPI).

Santos was born in Asingan in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines on May 17, 1944, to 3rd Lt. Vicente De Leon Santos and Catalina Dela Cruz Sumajit, he was the eldest among three children. His father was then a military officer who served under the USAFFE during World War II, and was later absorbed in the Armed Forces of the Philippines after the war, whereas his mother worked as a government school teacher.