Transfer of Army brigade to help end insurgency in Samar Island

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 13, 2023): Transfer of Army brigade to help end insurgency in Samar Island (By Roel Amazona)

NEW HOME. Philippine Army's 802nd Infantry Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir points to a facility during his visit to one of the army camps in Eastern Samar in this undated photo. The Philippine Army’s 802nd IBde has been transferred from Leyte province to Eastern Samar to help suppress the insurgency in Samar Island. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Army)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade (802nd IBde) has been transferred from Leyte province to Eastern Samar to help suppress the insurgency in Samar Island.

The brigade, which was based in Camp Downes in Ormoc City for more than two decades, was officially transferred to Borongan City in Eastern Samar to help meet the target of ending insurgency in Samar provinces within the year.

“We are here to help the campaign of ending the local communist armed conflict in Samar Island,” said Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, the 802nd IBde commander, in a phone interview on Tuesday.

With the addition of the 802nd IBde in Eastern Samar, all three brigades under the 8th Infantry Division are now operating in Samar Island.

The 801st IBde is based in Hinabangan, Samar with operations covering some parts of Samar, Eastern Samar and the Pacific towns of Northern Samar province.

Based in Catarman, Northern Samar, the 803rd IBde covers some areas in the northern part of Samar province and the rest of Northern Samar province.

Areas under the newly transferred brigade are the nine towns in Samar province and 15 towns and one city in Eastern Samar province.

Under the brigade are three battalions -- the 46th Infantry Battalion in Calbiga town, 63rd IB in Basey town, and 78th IB in Borongan City.

Government forces in the region are targeting to end the threat of the New People’s Army before the end of 2023.

Of the four communist guerrilla fronts operating in Samar Island, two are already dismantled by the military with two still operating in Northern Samar province and some parts of Eastern Samar and Samar provinces.

Meanwhile, Vestuir assured the public that the government troop’s presence will still be felt in the provinces of Biliran, Leyte and Southern Leyte since the two battalions with camps in Leyte province -- the 93rd IB in Kananga town, and 14th IB in Mahaplag town will remain in the island.

He added that the Joint Task Group Tandaya headed by Army's 8th Infantry Division assistant division commander Brig. Gen. Perfecto Peňaredondo will supervise the military operations in Leyte and Biliran provinces.

“We will do our best. Just like what we did in Leyte, we maintained a peaceful environment and negate the remnants of the CPP-NPA-NDF to do harm to our people,” Vestuir added.

The 802nd IBde was activated on Nov. 10, 1981. It took more than a year to complete its organization, training and equipping before it arrived in Catbalogan, Samar on March 3, 1983.

In the past 40 years, the brigade has been assigned in Sta. Rita and Hinabangan in Samar; Borongan and in Eastern Samar; Catarman, Northern Samar, and Lanao Del Sur. The brigade was based in Ormoc City in Leyte from 2002 until May 2023.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1203415