NEW BATTALION. The Army's 11th Infantry Division activates Monday (Sept. 5, 2022) a new battalion to boost the fight against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu. The 104th Infantry Battalion is the third battalion created by the 11ID to fight the ASG in the island province. (Photo courtesy of 11ID) ZAMBOANGA CITY - The Army's 11th Infantry Division (ID) has activated another battalion to boost its fight against the extremist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the island province of Sulu. In a statement Tuesday, Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, 11ID and Joint Task Force (JTF)-Sulu head, said he formed the 104th Infantry Battalion (IB) to mount a sustained campaign against the ASG. The 104IB, which officially went into service on Monday, is set to boost the capability of his command on its peace, security, and development campaign in Sulu. "I designated Lt. Col. Roland Arreola as the first-ever 104IB commander. He will lead and manage the unit 104th while undergoing organizational train
FIREARMS' CONSOLIDATION. A soldier wraps the firearms gathered from former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday (April 20, 2022) in Sulu for safekeeping by the International Decommissioning Body. The government and MILF peace implementing panels agreed to decommission some 14,000 combatants and over 2,400 firearms under the third phase of the decommissioning process. (Photo courtesy of the Joint Task Force - Sulu) ZAMBOANGA CITY - At least 69 firearms belonging to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have been collected in Sulu province for decommissioning, a military official said Friday. In a statement, Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, the Joint Task Force (JTF)-Sulu commander, said the consolidation of the firearms forms part of the third phase of the decommissioning process that started in November 2021. "In this phase, the former members of the MILF will have to hand over their firearms for safekeeping and deactivation," Patrimonio said. Patrimonio sai