AFP goes infra building in Basilan while battling Abu
09/05/2007 | 06:17 PM
Two military engineering battalions left Manila for Basilan province Wednesday to pursue a
“humanitarian invasion" hand in hand with the ongoing offensives against the Abu Sayyaf militants.
The engineers from the Navy’s 1st Mobile Construction Battalion and 355th Aviation Engineering Wing boarded BRP Bacolod City with their equipment at the Navy headquarters in Manila after they were sent off by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.
The engineers will be helping the Department of Public Works and Highways to complete the 82-kilometer circumferential road, construction of school buildings, potable water systems, among others.
“We are going to Basilan for two missions as ordered by the President…You are there to help build the road and to fight to build the road if necessary and that is your role," the defense chief said to the troops.
Teodoro asked the military engineers to undertake the “noble and ground breaking mission" with “all your skills in judgment in diplomacy intact and in ingenuity in performing your (assigned) mission."
Teodoro told the troops to combine “restraint and gallantry; heroism and patience; vigor and tact in judgment" as he said that it is the policy of the defense and military establishment that personal security should not be sacrificed.
Basilan, a known Abu Sayyaf stronghold, is the subject of a renewed military offensive
following the July 10 ambush in al-Barkah town that resulted in the killing of 14 Marines, 10 of them beheaded and mutilated.
“We are here today in compliance with the order of her Excellency, the President, to deploy engineering battalions to Basilan and Sulu in accordance with her strategy of combining vigorous operations against lawless elements while fast-tracking, concomitant with
that operation, the development of the areas affected," said Teodoro.
It was not clear exactly when the military would be deploying more military engineers in Sulu, another stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf. Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has said an engineering battalion would be deployed to Sulu.
In a later interview, Teodoro said the engineers would be staying in Basilan “until the circumferential road is completed or until such time as they can be properly relieved by civilian agencies." The road is already 60 percent complete but there is a need to upgrade the existing road.
On whether more engineers would be deployed to the province, the defense secretary said: “It depends on the need. As of this time, there is no need and that will depend also on the request of the DPWH."
“It (projects) will make a lot of difference because economic activities with the construction of the circumferential road will be enhanced as well as delivery of basic services will be a lot easier for all the people in Basilan and probably this would entice some people to go back to daily lives rather than either join lawless elements or the ASG or the evacuees if ever," he said. - GMANews.TV
“humanitarian invasion" hand in hand with the ongoing offensives against the Abu Sayyaf militants.
The engineers from the Navy’s 1st Mobile Construction Battalion and 355th Aviation Engineering Wing boarded BRP Bacolod City with their equipment at the Navy headquarters in Manila after they were sent off by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.
The engineers will be helping the Department of Public Works and Highways to complete the 82-kilometer circumferential road, construction of school buildings, potable water systems, among others.
“We are going to Basilan for two missions as ordered by the President…You are there to help build the road and to fight to build the road if necessary and that is your role," the defense chief said to the troops.
Teodoro asked the military engineers to undertake the “noble and ground breaking mission" with “all your skills in judgment in diplomacy intact and in ingenuity in performing your (assigned) mission."
Teodoro told the troops to combine “restraint and gallantry; heroism and patience; vigor and tact in judgment" as he said that it is the policy of the defense and military establishment that personal security should not be sacrificed.
Basilan, a known Abu Sayyaf stronghold, is the subject of a renewed military offensive
following the July 10 ambush in al-Barkah town that resulted in the killing of 14 Marines, 10 of them beheaded and mutilated.
“We are here today in compliance with the order of her Excellency, the President, to deploy engineering battalions to Basilan and Sulu in accordance with her strategy of combining vigorous operations against lawless elements while fast-tracking, concomitant with
that operation, the development of the areas affected," said Teodoro.
It was not clear exactly when the military would be deploying more military engineers in Sulu, another stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf. Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has said an engineering battalion would be deployed to Sulu.
In a later interview, Teodoro said the engineers would be staying in Basilan “until the circumferential road is completed or until such time as they can be properly relieved by civilian agencies." The road is already 60 percent complete but there is a need to upgrade the existing road.
On whether more engineers would be deployed to the province, the defense secretary said: “It depends on the need. As of this time, there is no need and that will depend also on the request of the DPWH."
“It (projects) will make a lot of difference because economic activities with the construction of the circumferential road will be enhanced as well as delivery of basic services will be a lot easier for all the people in Basilan and probably this would entice some people to go back to daily lives rather than either join lawless elements or the ASG or the evacuees if ever," he said. - GMANews.TV
