New Army unit formed to back war on terror in Sulu

MANILA, Philippines—A new Army unit has been established to support military operations in the island province of Sulu.

The 1103rd Infantry Brigade was activated on Tuesday (Feb. 23) with Col. Eugenio Boquio as its commander, the Joint Task Force (JTF) Sulu said in a statement.

The new unit will become part of the 11th Infantry Division, which now includes three Army brigades and one Marine brigade in Sulu. The small archipelago is a hotbed of local and international terror groups.

Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, commander of the 11th Infantry Division, said the military intends to fill up the new brigade with recruits from the Tausug, which is known as a warrior tribe.

“The creation of the new brigade is a significant step towards sustainable and inclusive peace in Sulu,” he said. “This provides an opportunity for the people of Sulu to take an active and meaningful role in securing their land,” he said.

Prior to his new leadership assignment, Boquio was the chief of staff of the AFP’s Special Operations Command. He also served as chief of staff of JTF-Sulu in 2017 and commander of 1st Scout Ranger Battalion from October 2014 to March 2016.

The new unit’s deployment to Sulu is yet to be determined, the JTF Sulu said. The 1101st Infantry Brigade is securing the southern portion of the province’s first district, while the 1102nd Infantry Brigade is in charge of Patikul that lies in the north of the first district.

The entire second district of Sulu is under the jurisdiction of the 4th Marine Brigade.

TSB