Marine Battalion Redeployed in Maguindanao

Cotabato City (PNA) – – A battalion – size contingent of the Philippine Marines (PM) has been redeployed in Maguindanao purportedly to ease tension gripping the province following the ill-fated Jan. 25 misencounter between the police’s Special Action Force (SAF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mamasapano town.

The misencounter resulted to the deaths of 44 SAF personnel and 5 MILF elements in what has been described as the worse misencounter incident following the resumption of the GRP-MILF peace talks in 2011.

In a report, the Army’s Sixth Infantry Division said the PM Battalion, whose mother unit is the 1st Marine Brigade, would help cover the coastal towns of Senator Ninoy Aquino of Sultan Kudarat Province and the towns of Upi and Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

The 6ID, however, was quick to add that the redeployment is long overdue and is not in any way related to the recent incidents in Central Mindanao.

Prior to their redeployment, the battalion was assigned in the island-provinces of Sulu and Basilan on March last year during the height of military operations against the Abu Sayyaf who were involved in atrocities in the area.

This developed as North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Talino-Mendoza issued a statement condoling with the families of SAF personnel who died in the Mamasapano incident.

“While we support all peace initiatives, our government and our troops who set law and maintain order in this civilized society should be respected and not killed. My heart bleeds for all these unwanted and isolated events that have happened in Cotabato, Maguindanao and Zamboanga,” the governor said.

On Wednesday night, two suspected bombers were killed while the bomb they were carrying aboard a motorbike exploded in downtown Pikit, North Cotabato.

The suspects were identified as Jomar Palaguyan, 27, and Asrap Mohamad, 28, both of Barangay Balatikan in the area.

A bystander, identified as Frauline Hera, 36, was injured in the incident. (PNA) FPV/NYP