Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Another Army battalion returning

From the Visayan Daily Star (May 21, 2019): Another Army battalion returning

The Army’s 11th Infantry Battalion dispatched to Mindanao two years ago, is returning to Negros.

Lt. Gen. Noel Clement, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command in Visayas, said that he is bringing back the 11IB to Negros Oriental probably by the end of the month, or in June.

The 11IB is presently deployed in Zamboanga City.

Clement, who was among the guests of the 302nd Infantry Brigade 45th founding anniversary on May 17 in Carmen, Bohol, disclosed that the return of 11IB is aimed at helping solve the problem of insurgency in Negros Island.

At present, only the 94th Infantry Battalion is assigned in Negros Oriental, with three other battalions, the 15th, 62nd and 79th assigned in Negros Occidental.

Brig. Gen. Ignacio Madriaga, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, who supervises the 47th Infantry Battalion in Bohol and 94IB, yesterday said that the return of 11IB to Negros Oriental is a welcome development.
It will help fast track our objectives of clearing Negros Oriental of armed insurgents sooner than anticipated and desire to make the whole Region 7 insurgency-free, Madriaga added.

An Army battalion is composed of about 500 military personnel.

The 3rd Infantry Division, which has the control of all Army infantry units deployed in Western and Central Visayas, has another infantry battalion - 82IB, which is now deployed in Marawi.

Clement said he is proposing to return the 11IB to its previous headquarters in Guihulngan City, also in coordination with the concerned local government unit.

In the past several months, the violent activities of the New People’s Army have been centered in the hinterlands of Guihulngan City and its neighboring areas, including Moises Padilla and Isabela towns in Negros Occidental, military records show.

But Madriaga said he was puzzled by the sudden stop of NPA violent activities in Guihulngan City in the past several weeks, as he raised the possibility that the communist rebels may be in a period of re-assessment.

Once the new set of elected officials assumes office on July 1, Madriaga said he will sit down and work with them.

There are also talks to relocate the 302nd Infantry Brigade headquarters from Carmen, Bohol, to Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, with the 47IB to remain in Bohol.*
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2019/May/21/topstory7.htm

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