BY: JENNIFER C. TILOS
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 27 (PIA) --- Military troops of 465 personnel from the 20th Infantry Battalion, 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army from Samar Island will be welcomed at a ceremony in Dumaguete City port on May 28 at 10:00 a.m.
The troops of 20th IB onboard a Philippine Navy ship will arrive at the Dumaguete City port and will be met by a simple welcome ceremony led by Major General Aurelio Baladad, AFP Commander 3rdInfantry Division and provincial administrator Atty. Richard Enojo.
The activity is a joint ceremony to welcome the troops from 20th IB and send-off the 3rd Scout Ranger Company (3SRC).
“As soon as the army group arrives, they will be presented in a short program at the port by the commanding officer Lt.Col. Miguel Ceballos,” said 302nd IB commander, BGen. Francisco Patrimonio.
This will also follow the presentation of 128 troops of 3SRC by brigade commander, Capt Paul Ramos.
According to army information officer Capt. Cresencio Gargar of 302nd IB the 20th IB has just finished its Battalion of Excellence(BOE) Training at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija and is set to replace the 79thInfantry (Masaligan) Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, which is scheduled for Battalion Retraining this 3rd Quarter of 2014 at Fort Magsaysay.
The movement of 20th IB in Negros Oriental is executed two months before the pullout of 79th IB to ensure smooth transitions of duties and responsibilities between the two battalions.
After the ceremony, the arriving party will pay a courtesy call on Gov. Roel Degamo and city mayor Manuel Sagarbarria.
A press conference will follow after the courtesy call at Old Session Hall, Capitol Building.
"The pullout of the 79th Infantry Battalion is only temporary. The battalion is scheduled to undergo their periodic BOE Training for three months to further enhance their knowledge and capabilities on counter insurgency. They will be back in the island after their training," said BGen Patrimonio.
Patrimonio added that the 20th IB will continue the Internal Peace and Security Operations in the province.
"All measures will be undertaken to avoid any vacuum that may arise during the relieving of forces and I will make sure that all my soldiers will continue to adhere with the Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law and the Rule of Law," he added.
The 3SRC is bound to depart from Dumaguete City to Samar on the same day.
Accordingly, the 3SRC will be awarded certificates of recognition by MGen Aurelio Baladad of 3ID to acknowledge their contribution to the conduct of Internal Peace and Security Operations of the Brigade.
Gargar said the 3rd SRC is supporting the 302nd Brigade in its campaign against the NPAs from January 24 to date. (rmn/jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental)