DUMAGUETE CITY – The scheduled arrival of the 15th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army in Negros Oriental on Monday has been postponed to another date.
The 15th IB was originally set to be deployed here on board a C-130 Air Force cargo plane to land at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport on Sunday, with formal welcome ceremonies at the Capitol grounds on Monday morning.
However, the activity was moved to a still undetermined date as the battalion is still conducting “clearing operations” following an encounter with rebel forces in Mindanao, disclosed Sr. Supt. Edwin Portento, the provincial director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Negros Oriental.
The 15th Infantry “Molave Warrior” Battalion was already previously assigned in Negros Island before it was transferred to Salvador, Lanao del Norte for several years and whose troops were deployed to the Marawi at the height of the ISIS-inspired siege by the Maute Group last year.
The battalion was then transferred to North Cotabato under the 1002nd Infantry Brigade.
Portento reiterated that it is a welcome move for the PNP to have an Army battalion deployed to Negros Oriental to augment current government troops considering the reported sightings of armed men, believed to be insurgents, in the mountains of Bindoy, Ayungon and nearby towns up north.
Another Army battalion is also expected for deployment here although Portento did not mention which one and from where it would come from. (Mary Judaline Partlow/PNA)
