CAMP RANAO, Marawi City – Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Benjamin Madrigal Jr., visited the troops of the Army’s 103rd Brigade and 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion in Camp Ranao, Marawi City and Brgy. Maria Cristina, Iligan City, respectively on Saturday, January 19. The visit is part of the AFP’s security preparations for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) Plebiscite on Monday, January 21.
File photo of AFP Chief of staff and former Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen Benjamin Madrigal. (Keith Bacongco / FILE / MANILA BULLETIN)
Madrigal checked the readiness of the troops for the BOL Plebiscite as Marawi City and towns in Lanao del Norte are also going to participate in the plebiscite to ratify the BOL.
His visit also aims to make sure that the welfare of the troops is taken care of.
He also went to visit the Main Battle Area (MBA) now called as the Most Affected Area of the Marawi siege to check the situation and on-going security operations to facilitate the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Marawi City led by the Task Force Bangon Marawi.
Members of media were also allowed to join in the tour which included pit stops at St. Mary’s Cathedral which was looted and destroyed by ISIS inspired Maute Group militants when they invaded Marawi.
He also visited the Landbank building where war hero Captain Rommel Bigyan Sandoval was killed on September 10, 2017, the 111th day of the battle, as he attempted to rescue one of his men wounded in a firefight with the jihadist militants.
Sandoval was the highest-ranking soldier to have died in the Battle of Marawi.
“The two units are tasked to secure the whole city in support to the Task Force Bangon Marawi and to clear the few remaining areas of unexploded ordnance.” Madrigal said during an interview.
The AFP chief, at the same time, said that troops are continuously on the look-out for remaining members of the Maute-ISIS who may attempt to launch attacks.
Madrigal said although they are only a handful and has been reduced in numbers, they are not taking any chances. He added that intelligence operatives are also continuously tracking militant leader Abu Dar who has gone into hiding following the siege.
Also during his visit, a command conference with the leadership of the 103rd Bde led by its Commander, Colonel Romeo Brawner and 2nd Mechanized Inf Bde, Brig. Gen. Tom Sedano was conducted, assuring the AFP leadership and the community that every soldier is ready and everything is all set within the Area of Responsibility of 103rd Bde and 2nd Mechanized Brigade.
Madrigal also inspected and toured around the camps, he then talked to the men of the two brigades to boost the morale of the troops on the ground.
“We extend our full support to every soldier currently deployed to conduct vital security services in the City of Marawi and the Province of Lanao del Norte and the adjoining towns,” Madrigal said.
“The AFP is thankful for your service in this historic city at this critical time when peace through BOL ratification and rehabilitation through task force Bangon Marawi is at its most important phase,” he concluded.
The plebiscite is scheduled on January 21, 2019 in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Cotabato City, and Isabela City for the ratification of the BOL.
For Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, including the barangays that filed their petitions to join the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) granted by the Commission on Elections, the plebiscite will be on February 6, 2019.
The BOL, which reflects all the signed peace agreements between the government and the Moro fronts, envisions to create a more powerful autonomous government with adequate financial resources that would be at par with other regions in the country.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/01/20/afp-top-brass-visits-troops-to-ensure-readiness-2/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.