FREE FALL EXHIBITION | This marker at a military park in Luuk, Sulu, remembers the free fall exhibition of the Marines’ Force Reconnaissance Group on April 21 to commemorate International Earth Day and call attention to the issue of climate change. (Photo courtesy of the 4th Marine Brigade)
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines — War-weary Tausugs had mixed emotions when a brigade of Marine troopers left their conflict-torn province of Sulu on Sept. 2, leaving only memories of a six-year tour of duty mostly marked by combat pursuits against Islamic State-linked terrorists.
“We are saddened by their departure because of their great contributions to keeping our district peaceful. [But] we are also happy because they left us with good memories and a system to ensure that we can sustain our gains,” said Sulu Rep. Munir Arbison of the province’s second district.
Arbison noted that during the Marine soldiers’ over six years of service in the province, the towns in his district enjoyed zero crime. He said the soldiers were also instrumental in bringing down drug dependency by destroying a vast marijuana plantation.
Soldiers of the 4th Marine Brigade bade goodbye to Sulu in a sendoff ceremony on Sept. 2 in Luuk town, for a new assignment in Northern Luzon.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH | The Luuk park also memorializes the civil-military initiatives by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Sulu, such as the bike for peace. (Photo courtesy of the 4th Marine Brigade)
But the Tausugs will have a military park in Luuk town to remember the Marines by. Completed on June 12, the recreation facility was a project of the 4th Marine Brigade and Arbison’s office.
The park features a monument in honor of Filipino soldiers and Lupah Sug warriors who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the peace and prosperity of Sulu.
It also features military relics like the amphibious landing vehicle tracked which saw action in many campaigns in the province, dioramas of civil-military activities significant to the people and the land, as well as their continued quest for lasting peace and development.
There is also a replica and marker dedicated to the indigenous patrol boat that was used by military troops in the early 1970s under South Western Command, and another of the vessel used by bandits seized by Marine troopers during an encounter on March 5, 2017.
A marker of Marine paratroopers was also built to remember those who performed the first-ever free fall exhibition in Sulu on April 21, 2022.
Brig. Gen. Vicente Mark Anthony Blanco III, Marine brigade commander, said the park was their gift to the people of Sulu.
Another marker honors the unknown soldiers and Tausug warriors. (Photo courtesy of the 4th Marine Brigade)
Low threat level
The redeployment is part of the troop cutback in the province implemented by the Armed Forces of the Philippines after its security situation has markedly improved, a testament to the gains of years of massive and continued military operations against Abu Sayyaf bandits.
“The threat level in Sulu has gone down radically. We are sustaining this momentum through focused operations and so far, the communities continue to experience a better security climate,” said Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of the Army’s 11th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Sulu.
Patrimonio cited the continued stream of Abu Sayyaf members who have surrendered to the military to avail of various assistance so they and their families could restart their lives. From 2017 to August this year, the military has recorded 983 surrenders.
Defense Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr., who used to be AFP chief of staff, observed that “the situation is getting better, not just in Sulu but in many areas under the AOR (areas of responsibility) of the Western Mindanao Command,” such as the Zamboanga Peninsula and Central Mindanao.
“We see that there is already relative peace in these areas, especially Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and [the] Zamboanga Peninsula,” Faustino said, comparing it to the time when he was assigned as a junior officer there.
The recent presence of Marine troopers in Sulu started with the Philippine Marine Ready Force Sulu in 2016 to oversee the Marine Battalion Landing Teams, growing into the full deployment of the 4th Marine Brigade.
It covered the province’s second district, doing focused military operations against the Abu Sayyaf; supporting law enforcement operations of other agencies like the police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine Coast Guard; and conduct civil-military initiatives in partnership with local governments and nongovernment and people’s organizations.
Blanco noted that since 2016, they have caused the surrender of 103 bandits, and helped shepherd them back into mainstream society through reindoctrination sessions and provision of livelihood, such as Tausug cloth weaving, hollow blocks making, and trained and placed them as construction workers in government projects.
Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr., chief of the AFP’s Western Mindanao Command, lauded the Marines for their contribution “in ending terrorism and keeping the community from the influence of violent extremism.”
RELIC | The decommissioned amphibious armored vehicle, known as the landing vehicle tracked, saw action in Sulu beginning in 1975. It was removed from the AFP’s inventory in 2019. (Photo courtesy of the 4th Marine Brigade)
Not taking chances
“I sincerely thank you for your dedication and service to completely eliminate and end violence and terrorism in this part of the region. May you continue the proficiency and competence you have begun wherever you will go. Continue to aspire for security and development in our country,” Rosario said.
But Patrimonio said they are not taking chances because two top bandit leaders—Mundi Sawadjaan and Radullan Sahiron—are still on the loose although they have been suffering from a lack of community support hence unable to launch attacks.
With the Marine brigade redeployed, the AFP counts on the robust number of Tausug soldiers in the Army’s ranks. Patrimonio said there are almost 2,000 young Tausug soldiers who were recruited into the regular force, equivalent to a brigade.
“This is a major development. They know the people, they know the terrain and culture. This really helps in sustaining peace on this island,” Patrimonio explained.
He also emphasized the key role of civilian communities in “sustaining the peace gains.”
“Security really is a shared responsibility,” Patrimonio said. As Blanco bids goodbye to “our second home,” he said they also bring with them fond memories of the once war-torn province in the country’s southern tip.
“We will miss the people and their hospitality, and the food, too. Once the Tausugs have seen your sincerity of being with them, that you are not there just to add color to your military career or prove your military worth, they will treat you not only as a friend but as a family member. Should they start calling you brother or sister, then you have earned their trust, and the job becomes easier for you,” Blanco said.
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