PAGADIAN
CITY: Military soldiers, from the 21st and 41st Infantry Battalions have
arrived in the southern Philippines to replace marines in Sulu and other
provinces in Mindanao and help fight insurgency and terrorism, a report
reaching Misamis News said.
The
two batches, according to the military, took over the 32nd Infantry Battalion
in Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte and the 35th Infantry in Lanao del
Norte.
They
are said to also “win hearts and minds of civilians in an effort to support the
government’s peace and development efforts in the troubled region.”
Brigadier
General Gerardo Barrientos, commander of 1st Infantry Division, welcomed the
troops who arrived here from Luzon last week.
Barrientos
said the moving of units is part of the strengthening of the military forces to
address the emerging threats in the region as army units are equally capable in
addressing various threats and support law enforcement and many others.
Barrientos
added the two Infantry units deployed in Sulu will continue the amity and
peacekeeping efforts in the province since some of the soldiers sent to Sulu
are natives of the province who will hopefully be a tool in creating a bridge
between the local communities and the military.
The
soldiers underwent a series of orientation and lectures, including cultural
sensitivity seminars, and custom and traditions of different indigenous tribes
in western Mindanao, to familiarize them to their new area of operation, the
military commander ended.