104th Infantry Brigade moves to Maguindanao

ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews/20 Dec) -- Even they were celebrating their Christmas party on December 19, soldiers of the 104th Infantry Brigade were also packing up for their new assignment: in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat. “The 104th Infantry (Sultan) Brigade was directed to be redeployed immediately to help control units in (Southwestern) Mindanao,” Col. Benito de Leon, commanding officer of the brigade, said.

The battalions in Lanao del Norte and Iligan City – the 15th, 35th and 43rd Infantry Battalions will remain but will be headed by another commander.

General Victor Ibrado, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) , approved the realignment, which comes as the military prepares for a “wider” role in the 2010 polls and “to cleanse the troops in the area from the corruption of local political warlords.”

Ibrado said the 104th IB in Lanao del Norte will take operational control of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces and will have the 29th IB, 33rd IB and 46th IB under its command.

He said that the 104^th will trade places with 601st brigade troops based in Maguindanao.

Based on the realignment order, the 104th brigade will be joined by a Task Force from the Special Operation Command composed of three Special Forces companies, two companies of scout rangers, and the 1st and 2nd Mechanized Battalion.” [More at MindaNews]