AFP to pull out Army battalion from Maguindanao

MANILA, Philippines - The military is planning to pull out a battalion of soldiers from Maguindanao due to the improved security situation in the area.

1Lt. Ralph Pantonial, civil-military operations officer of the Army’s 46th Infantry Battalion, said on Monday that their unit based in Ampatuan, Maguindanao would be moved to Davao region in a week’s time.

Pantonial said the plan was mentioned by 6th Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Gapuz during his farewell visit at Camp Waray in Ampatuan over the weekend.

Gapuz is scheduled to retire from the service on May 26.

“He (Gapuz) also gave his blessing and advice to the personnel of this unit as it is also bound to leave 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division towards another area of operations at 10th Infantry (Agila) Division in a week’s time,” Pantonial said in a statement.

The 10th Infantry Division is based in Davao, an area with a huge concentration of communist rebels.

Ampatuan town was the site of the infamous Maguindanao massacre, which left at least 57 people dead in 2009.

Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th division, said they are still awaiting orders from higher headquarters on the troop realignment.

"There will be redeployment. We call hat deployment for higher mission,” Hermoso said.

“There is relative peace here (in Maguindanao) except for a few incidents. There are other areas in the Philippines that need the presence of additional Army troops,” he added.

He said the number of troops to be realigned would depend on the demands of the situation.

“Either one or two (battalions or move), depending on the needs of the requesting unit. Other divisions are also requesting for additional troops. These are being studied by the higher headquarters. There are no official directives yet,” Hermoso said.

There are three infantry brigades, five infantry battalions and two mechanized battalions operating in Maguindanao province. – Alexis Romero