Few days after the liberation of Marawi, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Major General Restituto Padilla Jr. announced on Friday that the troops will be shifting forces to other areas for their required training and for their scheduled battalion or unit activities.
During the Mindanao hour press briefing in Malacañang, Padilla mentioned that Commander of Western Mindanao Command, General Galvez, as well as other officers in the area, sent one of the first units to have arrived in Marawi during the siege, the First Infantry Battalion under Colonel Tampus.
“Colonel Tampus’ unit was assigned to the Western sector or the other side of the bridge, or the other side of the Agus river to secure that area and hold off any enemy from making it across the bridges that have been there,” he said.
“They will also be going back to Luzon for a much-needed break and for their long-delayed training in Fort Magsaysay and in other camps of the Philippine Army to enhance their skills and prepare them for their next mission,” he added.
According to Padilla, the vacated unit will be taken over by other units of Joint Task Group Ranao under Brigadier General Rami Rey.
“There will be other units that will be leaving Marawi after First Infantry Battalion, and the basis for their departure from Marawi will be, as I mentioned earlier, if you came in first, you will be the first to leave,” Padilla explained.
He also clarified that despite of the ongoing massive clean-up drive, they are not compromising the security of Marawi, thus to ensure the continuity of its security.
“However, many are asking whether we are compromising the security of Marawi. We are not. We are actually leaving other units to ensure the continuity of security coverage even during the process of the rehabilitation, reconstruction, and rebuilding of Marawi,” he said. | (Tina Joyce Laceda – PTV)
