Military to send Navy peacekeepers to Haiti

By Alexis Romero

Philippine Star, Tuesday, September 13, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - The military would send for the first time an all-Navy contingent to the United Nations peacekeeping force in Haiti.

Armed Forces public affairs chief Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said the 155-strong contingent would leave on Sept. 20 and stay in Haiti for six months.

A sendoff ceremony was held yesterday at Camp O’Donnell in Tarlac in honor of the team, the country’s 14th contingent to Haiti.

Marine Col. George Fernandez would head the peacekeeping team, which consists of 12 officers and 143 enlisted personnel.

The contingent members came from the different units of the Navy and were the first team to train at Camp O’Donnell.

Burgos said this is the second time that the military is sending a peacekeeping team from only one major service.

The first time was in May when the Armed Forces sent a 327-man all-Army contingent to Liberia. The members were troops of the 76th Infantry Battalion led by Col. Cornelio Valencia.

The peacekeeping unit would conduct humanitarian operations that would benefit those affected by the conflict.

“The deployment of contingents to other countries is our contribution to the United Nations as it continues to perform its role in the advocacy of international peace and solidarity,” Burgos said.

The peacekeepers would also support the Haitian government in promoting the rule of law and human rights and protecting the vulnerable sectors.

“I will successfully accomplish this noble mission by employing our most important assets who are specialized, disciplined, competent and highly trained personnel to perform administrative and logistics services,” Fernandez said in a statement.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. said the military would continue to support UN’s peacekeeping efforts even if the Philippines has its own security concerns.

“We have gained a lot on peace keeping which is not apart from the efforts that the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) is doing to uphold peace and security within our country,” Oban said.

“Even though we have our own concerns of internal security, our country remains steadfastly supportive of the commitment for world peace, and continues to join other democratic countries in this venture,” he added.

The Philippines is a signatory of the UN charter and has been sending peacekeeping teams to Haiti since 2004. It is also sending peacekeepers to Liberia and the Golan Heights.

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Marine battalion team members honored

By Bong Garcia

Sun Star, Thursday, September 1, 2011

THE Philippine Navy has accorded honors to officers and men of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-4 (MBLT-4) for their accomplishments in combat operations that led to the neutralization of some noted terrorists in Mindanao.

Lieutenant Colonel Omar Tonsay said the honors were accorded to the MBLT-4 by Navy chief Vice Admiral Alexander Pama upon the troops' arrival Thursday at the Navy headquarters in Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

The MBLT-4, composed of 19 officers and 424 enlisted personnel, arrived Thursday in Manila for retraining after 10 years of being assigned in Mindanao, Tonsay said.

He said the most noteworthy among the MBLT-4's achievements is the neutralization of Abu Sayyaf bandit leader Albader Parad on February 21, 2010 and five of his comrades, as well as the recovery of five high-powered firearms and ammunition.

Tonsay said the MBLT-4 also successfully raided a two-hectare marijuana plantation in Barangay Patao, Maimbung, Sulu and another 1.5 hectare in nearby Barangay Binuang, Talipao in the same province, with an estimated total market value of P32 million on May 22 and June 26, 2008, respectively.

He said Pama also lauded the MBLT-4 troops for their major operations against secessionist groups in different parts of Mindanao and the team's success in winning the trust and confidence of the populace in the various areas they were deployed.

Pama likewise acknowledged the members of the MBLT-4 who have fallen in the line of duty and who have lived up to the standard of a true Marine, "ever committed to the ideals of the Philippine Marine Corps and the Navy."

Tonsay said the MBLT-4's activities in its area of responsibility were not confined to combat operations alone, but were extended to various humanitarian projects that benefited local residents such as construction of road networks, water systems and school buildings.

He said the MBLT-4 also taught local residents to engage in seaweeds farming, thus helping alleviate the flight of living of people they meet in their areas of operation.

"These missions highlight the Navy's Fleet-Marine operations where Sailors and Marines work in tandem in support of the government's peace and development efforts," Tonsay added.

www.sunstar.com.ph