ZAMBOANGA CITY - The Philippine Army deployed Sunday thousands of soldiers in the troubled Muslim province of Basilan ahead of the Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan Elections.
The troops, all members of the 111th and 112th Division Reconnaissance Companies, the 8th Field Artillery Battalion and another platoon from the 12 Cavalry, were pulled out from Sulu province.
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| Basilan government photos show the arrival of thousands of soldiers to the province on Sunday. The troops were pulled out from Sulu province and deployed in Basilan to augment security forces ahead of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. |
Army Col. Frederick Sales, deputy commander of the 101st Infantry Brigade in Basilan province, personally welcomed the troops upon their arrival at the port of Lamitan City.
Sales said the additional soldiers will be deployed to the different battalions in the province to help secure the elections on October 30.
Provincial governmemt spokesman Richard Falcatan said Governor Jim Salliman-Hataman is happy over the deployment of additional soldiers in Basilan, a stronghold of the pro-ISIS group Abu Sayyaf.
Salliman said the troops would further solidify the peace and security measures being implemented by the existing security forces in the province.
He also thanked the troops and the newly created anti-terror Task Force Orion led by Major General Ignatius Patrimonio for ensuring the upcoming polls in the province will be peaceful, honest and orderly.
The pullout of soldiers from Sulu was also due to the improved peace and order situation in the province which has been declared last month by the military and government as Abu Sayyaf-free following the mass surrender of terrorists and continued campaign against the dreaded extremist group. (Mindanao Examiner)
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