Monday, September 5, 2016

Solcom sends another battalion of troops to Lanao del Sur

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 5): Solcom sends another battalion of troops to Lanao del Sur

Another battalion-size government troopers from the Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was sent to the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) in Lanao del Sur on Saturday to help crush the terrorist groups in the area, said a top official of Solcom.

Lt. Gen. Ferdinand F. Quidilla, commanding General of Solcom based in Camp Guillermo Nakar in Lucena City, Quezon, in a press statement Monday , said the battalion-size government forces, composed of 500 officers and soldiers, were sent to augment government troops fighting in Mindanao.

“Soldiers of the 49th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army, based in the village of Mahawan-hawan, Labo town in Camarines Norte, were transported by a C130 plane to Westmincom as the military offensive operations against the terrorist group in Mindanao continues,” he said.

Quidilla said the 49th IB of the 9th Infantry Division (ID) with Lt. Col. Arnel Bautista as its commanding officer will augment the Ist ID in crushing the terrorist group in Lanao Del Sur, especially the “Maute terror group.”

“On the late afternoon of August 27 (this year) members of the Maute group stormed the Lanao Del Sur provincial jail in Marawi City and freed all eight of their companions who were arrested in police operations last Aug. 22,” said Quidilla.

“During the 49th IB’s send off ceremony families of the brave soldiers poured out tears as they were afraid and worried for the safety of their loved ones in Lanao Del Sur,” said Quidilla.

He said the 49th IB soldiers will be deployed, along with the 65th IB, also from the 9th ID based in Pili town in Camarines Sur, who are presently deployed in the area.

Quidilla said the 49th IB is the latest Army battalion from the Solcom area that has been deployed to Westmincom since 2008.

On Aug. 18, 2008, the 65th IB was deployed to Barangay Pawak in Saguiran, Lanao Del Sur at the height of increasing security concerns involving the Moro National Liberation Front.

Seven years later, on Nov. 28,2015, the 42nd IB was deployed to Barangay Usukan, Labason town in Zamboanga Del Norte.

Last month, on Aug. 15, the 74th IB, the former battalion of Quidilla, was deployed to Barangay Bohe Paho in Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan to support the AFP’s pursuit mission against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

“The 91st and 93rd Division Reconnaissance Companies (Co.) and Bravo Co. of the 9th IB, which are under the operational control of the 902nd Infantry Brigade, have been tasked to occupy the vacated area of operation of the said battalion in Camarines Norte,” according to Maj. Virgilio Perez Jr., chief public information officer of Solcom.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=920158

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