Philippine Army Deploys New Batch of Soldiers to Fight the Communist Insurgency in the Bicol Region

Major General Hilario Atendido, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Training and Education, J8, AFP addresses the crowd of soldiers during the graduation ceremony of the Candidate Soldier Course Class 03-10 on October 8, 2010. Three hundred forty five individuals took their oaths as the new soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. (Photo by Major Harold M Cabunoc)


CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camsur – A new batch of soldiers will be deployed to help the government’s counterinsurgency campaign in the Bicol Region, a ranking military official said today.
　　　　　　　　
Major General Ruperto R Pabustan, Commander of the Army forces in the Bicol Region said 345 soldiers who have just hurdled the Army’s combat training will be distributed to the battalions to beef up the forces which are tasked to confront the communist insurgency.

Pabustan made the statement during the graduation ceremony for the new batch of soldiers held here at around 9:30am.

Pabustan said that the Army is now heavily engaged in the implementation of the peace and development programs which are designed to address the root causes of the insurgency problem.

“We are maximizing our efforts in helping the national government implement the development projects here in the region. These infrastructure projects can surely alleviate the economic hardships of our people especially those who are in remote areas where public services are limited,” said Pabustan.

Pabustan has also said that the new soldiers will augment the manning of COMELEC checkpoints in preparation for the upcoming barangay elections.

Soldiers and policemen are tapped to conduct checkpoint operations to control the carrying of firearms during the election period.

Government forces manning the checkpoints have been placed on heightened alert after the killing of a policemen in a daylight ambush staged by suspected NPA assailants in Naga City on October 5, 2010.

In Masbate Province, joint-operations by AFP and PNP personnel have netted 8 highpowered firearms and the arrest of 6 suspected members of the partisan armed groups.