Military training held in Sibonga

CEBU - In anticipation of the escalation of hostilities in Mindanao involving the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Air Force in the Visayas conducted air-to-ground operations training in the municipality of Sibonga recently.

Lt. Col. Bruce Concepcion, information officer of the Philippine Air Force in the Visayas, said that no less than division commander Major Gen. Nathaniel Legaspi of the 2nd Air Division supervised the field training exercises held on the hilltops of barangay Magcagong, Sibonga town.

The training started October 14 and culminated last Monday. Helicopters from the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing and planes from the 15th Strike Wing joined to make the training as realistic as possible.

“This is not only a training for the elite members of the AFP and the PNP, but also an assessment on the possible gaps that we have in terms of joint operations,” Concepcion said.

Participants include personnel from the 3rd Light Reaction Company, the Joint Special Operations Group of the Philippine Army, the Central Command Quick Reaction Force, and the Special Operations Unit of the Philippine National Police.

The 35 participants already received their graduation certificates early this week at the Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City.

Right after graduation, Concepcion said that over half of the graduates received orders for immediate deployment to an unspecified location in Cotabato to boost the AFP’s position against the build-up of MILF forces. — Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)