Bicol Army battalion deployed to Mindanao

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Some 500 Army troopers based in the Bicol Region were deployed on Saturday to Western Mindanao Command to support combat operations in Zamboanga, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Lt. Col. Joselito Pastrana, chief of the Army’s 42nd Infantry Battalion (IB), said his men would help government security forces in Mindanao fight the Abu Sayyaf.

Pastrana said the troopers have completed the enhanced combat capability training at Camp Elias and would be deployed in Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte.

He said it took the C-130 plane three trips to complete transporting the soldiers to Pagadian City.

The troops’ equipment and logistics supports were transported earlier by a Philippine Navy vessel from Pasacao port to Pagadian port.

The sendoff was led by Brig. Gen. Ferdinand Quidilla, chief of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division (ID); Chief Superintendent August Marquez Jr., director of the Bicol police, and Col. Amador Tabuga Jr., chief of the Army’s 902nd Brigade.

The 9th ID is the mother unit of the 42nd IB.