Centino welcomes deployment of add'l brigade in Caraga

THE Army's 4th Infantry Division commander Major General Andres C. Centino has welcomed the deployment of the Army’s 901st Infantry Brigade, an additional brigade in Caraga region, army officials said today.

Centino even said the brigade will now augment the government troops in the fight against the remaining NPA rebels in the Caraga region.

“The deployment of additional brigade would help hasten the 4th Infantry Division’s operations to defeat the terrorist New People’s Army (NPA),” Centino said.

The 901st Infantry Brigade was previously assigned in North Cotabato and its neighboring provinces was

headed by Brig. Gen. Gabriel Viray, arrived in Surigao City on June 12.

“The deployment is also part of the timeline given by President (Rodrigo Duterte) and that is to finish the problem of insurgency before his term ends in 2022,” said 4ID’s public affairs chief Captain Al Anthony Pueblas.

“The deployment is a boost in the continuing efforts to dismantle the remaining guerrilla fronts of the NPA in the area,” said Pueblas.

The 901st Brigade would occupy the headquarters of 30 Infantry Battalion in Barangay Bad-as in Placer, Surigao del Norte, according to Pueblas.

He said the 30IB will move inward and establish their temporary base in Brgy. Mahanub, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte.

Two battalions that were previously under the 402nd Brigade would now be under the operational control of the 901st Brigade to include the 30IB and the 29th Infantry Battalion.

“The 29IB and 30IB were placed operationally controlled to 901st Brigade from the 402nd Brigade,” said 4ID’s assistant chief of staff for civil-military operations chief Lt. Colonel Xerxes Trinidad.

“The newly-deployed brigade is additional manpower for the Army to effectively carry out its mission in the region like in this time of pandemic and the threat of local communist rebels,” Trinidad said.

Trinidad said the brigade will cover the whole province of Surigao del Norte, including the northern part of agusan, del Norte, Siargao island and the province of Dinagat Islands.

"The brigade shall be employed in the all-out offensive against the Communist rebels, while the battalions will also initiate community-based dialogues in the villages,” according to Trinidad.

The new-deployed 901st Brigade will also covers Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago, Tubay and Northern Part of Cabadbaran City, said 402nd Brigade civil military operation chief Major Francisco Garello. (Ben Balce)