Brig. Gen. Ignacio Madriaga, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, said yesterday that a welcome reception to be led by Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo will be held, for the returning Army soldiers the next day.
The 11IB deployed for two years in Zamboanga City, was replaced by the 74th Infantry Battalion from Sumisip, Basilan.
Madriaga, who described the return of 11IB to Negros Oriental as a welcome development, said it will help fast track their objective of clearing the province of armed insurgents sooner than anticipated and make the whole Region 7 insurgency-free.
An Army battalion is composed of about 500 military personnel.
The 15th Infantry Battalion also returned from Marawi to Negros Occidental early this year.
The return of the 11IB will increase the number of Army battalions deployed in Negros Island to five.
On June 4, Mayor Beng Climaco, who hosted a thanksgiving dinner for the 11IB, cited the effort of the concerned Army unit in securing Zamboanga City that resulted to zero bombing and zero kidnapping incidents in the past years.
The Leonardo Panaligan Command of the New People’s Army in central Negros slammed the return of 11IB, that will have its headquarters in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
Ka JB Regalado, spokesperson of the Leonardo Panaligan Command, issued a statement alleging that the return of 11IB to Negros is part of the implementation of what he claims to be a de facto martial law in the island.
Regalado also linked to the 11IB the killing of a couple and three others in Guihulngan City, before they were deployed to Mindanao.
He also said that all LPC units were ordered to launch offensives against government forces and to immediately enforce the decision of the revolutionary court to punish those responsible for the implementation of Oplan Sauron 1 and 2 in Negros Oriental.
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2019/June/06/topstory5.htm
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