Saturday, December 02, 2006 2nd Marine Brigade off for Jolo By Richel V. Umel Lanao Correspondent
ILIGAN CITY -- The first shuttle of the 2nd Marine Brigade left for Jolo, Sulu Friday aboard a Philippine Navy ship, which was docked at Iligan City Port.
Colonel Cesario Atienza, 2nd Marine Brigade Commander, said the troops will augment the 3rd Marine Brigade in its counter terrorism measures in the south.
The move followed the reported presence of Dulmatin, an Indonesian bomber allegedly responsible for the series of bombings particularly in Bali, Indonesia.
The presence of the 2nd Marine Brigade in Lanao del Norte and Iligan City has contributed much to the peacekeeping initiatives by the respective local government units especially in the observance of peace negotiations.
Atienza, is the new 2nd Marine Brigade Commander after Colonel Eduardo Duccusin was promoted as Deputy Commander of the Philippine Marines Headquarters.
Lanao del Norte Governor Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo, the Provincial Board (PB), 22 municipal mayors and Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz with the City Council lauded the performance of the 2nd Marine Brigade as partner institution in peace keeping efforts for the past two years.
Dimaporo said the 2nd Marine Brigade has really done its share in maintaining peace and order in the province.
Atienza said while the 2nd Marine Brigade with the Marine Battalion Landing Team 3 (MBLT 3) are in Jolo, its area of responsibility will be under the control of 1st Marine Brigade in Kampo Ranao Marawi City under Colonel Ramiro Alivio.
They will receive support from the Marine Battalion Landing Team 6 based in Nangka, Balo-i, Lanao del Norte and MBLT 8 based in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur.
Corporal Erwin Baquirin, who was sent off by his wife Derlyn and their eight-month-old boy, said the immediate families of the Marines will not be allowed to go with the troops.
Despite, this Baquirin said she is already used to the life of a Marine's wife. Baquirin has been assigned in Jolo twice.
"Even if we are in Jolo, we still love those from Lanao del Norte. We are more than willing to serve the province and the city again if necessary," Atienza added.
The second and third batch for Jolo will be sent in the next few days and will be assigned at the municipality of Lo-oc, Jolo. The deployment order of the 2nd Marine Brigade was received three days ago.
