Panay-based 47th IB goes to Negros
The Panay-based 47th Infantry Battalion will be deployed to southern Negros to swap assignments with the newly retrained and refurbished 61st IB.
The movement was disclosed by Major Gen. Vicente Porto, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division in Western Visayas.
The 47th IB is based at Camp General Ceferino S. Carreon in Calinog, Iloilo.
Meanwhile, the 61st IB, led by Lt. Colonel Ricardo Bayhon, had just completed its unit retraining at the 3rd ID headquarters in Camp Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz.
During their leave from southern Negros Occidental, the Task Group Southwest Negros was organized under the operational supervision of the 303rd Infantry Brigade.
The 47th IB, under the command of Lt. Col. Rodrigo Sosmena, has made a significant impact in addressing the internal security situation in Panay for the past several years.
According to the military, the unit was instrumental in downgrading two communist guerilla fronts in Panay, along with other operational accomplishments, including the capture of several armed dissidents and the arrest of high-ranking underground personalities of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army in the island.
“This move is being undertaken by the 3rd ID so that these units would have new operational environments in which they can thrive further,” Porto said.
In Negros, 47th IB will be placed under the operational control of the 303rd Infantry Brigade based in Camp Gerona in Murcia town while the 61st IB will report to the 301st Infantry Brigade based in Camp General Adriano Hernandez, Dingle, Iloilo.
“We believe that the swap is a welcome change for everyone involved. Every change for the better is always much-anticipated thus, we should be ready to embrace change especially if it calls for a bigger and greater challenge,” Porto said.
He added: “Guided by this, we are confident that the redeployment of our troops between Panay and Negros will yield significant gains to get us one step closer to attaining our mission.”*
