PH Marines' Battalion Landing Team 1 redeployed to Tawi-Tawi

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 31, 2021): PH Marines' Battalion Landing Team 1 redeployed to Tawi-Tawi (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)  July 31, 2021, 12:04 pm

REDEPLOYED. Troops of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-1 (MBLT-1) board a Philippine Navy vessel on Thursday (July 29, 2021) at the port of Luuk, Sulu en route to their new place of assignment in the province of Tawi-Tawi. The MBLT-1 was assigned to fight the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu more than five years ago. (Photo courtesy of the Joint Task Force (JTF)-Sulu Public Affairs Office)

The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) has redeployed its Marine Battalion Landing Team-1 (MBLT-1) to the province of Tawi-Tawi, more than five years after the unit was deployed to fight the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu.

The Joint Task Force (JTF)-Sulu said in a statement Saturday the MBLT-1 will replace one of the marine battalions in Tawi-Tawi, which is scheduled to undergo refresher training.

During a send-off ceremony at the port of Barangay Tanduh Bato, Luuk, Sulu, Brig. Gen. Antonio Bautista Jr., 1101st Infantry Brigade commander, thanked the MBLT-1 for its efforts rendered in the province.

Bautista represented Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, JTF-Sulu and 11th Infantry Division commander, during the ceremony.

“It has been an honor to work with you as a fellow member of the JTF-Sulu family. Indeed, you've proven your worth and I'm certain that the people of Sulu are grateful for your service. As you will be deployed in Tawi-Tawi, I know that you will have the same motivation in carrying out your missions. Godspeed and may continue making the Marine Corps proud,” Bautista told the MBLT-1 troopers.

The MBLT-1 was deployed in the Sulu on February 5, 2016, under the then Philippine Marine Ready Force, which later became the 4th Marine Brigade (4MBde).

After five years of faithful and dedicated service to the people of Sulu, MBLT-1 has to leave the area of operations of 4MBde in the second district of Sulu and be operationally controlled by the 2nd Marine Brigade stationed in Tawi-Tawi.

The send-off ceremony was witnessed by Erwin Tan, representative of Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan, several town mayors from the second district of Sulu, and other military officials to include Brig. Gen. Benjamin Batara Jr., 1102nd Infantry Brigade commander. (

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1148903