Philippine Army's elite forces impress His Majesty Sultan of Brunei
FORT Andres Bonifacio, Metro Manila - A descendant of a very powerful
sultanate, Brunei Darussalam's very own His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal
Bolkiah still can't help but be amazed at Philippine Army Special
Operations Command (SOCOM)'s capability demonstration today.
His Majesty Sultan Bolkiah's visit to the Philippine Army is actually on
his 2nd day of his first official three-day state visit to the
Philippines this 2009, which started yesterday. This event, according to
the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is an auspicious event as the
Philippines and Brunei Darussalam are commemorating the 25th anniversary
of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
His Majesty Sultan Bolkiah who was also accompanied by Her Majesty the
Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha and Her Royal Highness
Pengiran Isteri Azrinaz Mazhar were welcomed at the Army camp by
Philippine Army Chief Lt. Gen. Victor S. Ibrado together with Secretary
of National Defense Hon. Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr.; Secretary of the
Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Hon. Hermogenes
C. Esperon Jr.; and AFP Chief of Staff General Alexander B. Yano. The
event was highlighted by the static and kinetic displays and live
demonstrations of the basic organizations and capabilities of the
SOCOM’s three elite forces, namely the Special Forces Regiment
(Airborne), the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR), and the Light
Reaction Battalion (LRB).
The Special Forces (SF) Team or better known as 'The Silent
Professionals' is a complete command and staff organization which
conducts its own detailed mission planning before its employment in
combat. The team is an elite group of experts both in guerilla and in
counter-guerilla operations. The team is highly trained to conduct
special reconnaissance, direct action, and unconventional warfare
operations behind enemy lines. It is composed of one officer and 11
enlisted personnel.
The Scout Ranger (SR) Team's mission is pressure-packed, exhausting and
very dangerous. The team works in isolation, operates in the heart of
the jungle and often lurks in the shadows. They take terrifying risks in
order to move closer to the enemy, strike swiftly, silently, and
mercilessly. The strength of the Scout Ranger lies in its team
organization. The compact and intrepid team is composed of seven highly
skilled soldiers trained in every aspect of jungle warfare imaginable.
Its battle cry is 'Anytime, Anywhere...Rangers will lead the way!'
And lastly, The Light Reaction Battalion (LRB) or the 'Preservers of
Peace' is now the primary counter terrorism force whose mission is to
plan and conduct counter terrorism force whose mission is to plan and
conduct counter terrorist operations in support of the Philippine Army's
mission. The unit has four core capabilities: hostage rescue and
personnel recovery, special operations target interdiction, special
reconnaissance that could provide timely battlefield information to
commanders, and direct action operations against identified enemy
personnel and installation.
The Philippine Army also showcased its Military Free Fall Capability, a
unique capability of SOCOM to infiltrate its area of operations through
various infiltration methods such as by land, by water, and through air.
Towards the end of the Army show, His Majesty Sultan Bolkiah was given a
Command Plaque for his visit to the Headquarters Philippine Army,
honorary badges from the Army's three elite forces, and a memento.
The Philippine Army would like to express its sincerest gratitude to
Brunei for its sustained and active development in the continued
presence and participation of its peace monitors to the peace process in
Mindanao since 2004. There has been a marked decrease of hostilities in
Southern Philippines as well as the promotion of peace building efforts
and closer people-to-people ties with the Muslims.
The peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) and the peace monitors are expected to be discussed by Her
Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Sultan Bolkiah during
his visit. #
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