Army Brigade Celebrates Anniversary in Lanao

Munai, Lanao del Norte (26 October). Troops of the 104^th Infantry (Sultan) Brigade celebrated their 8^th Founding Anniversary today in a simple ceremony at their Advance Command Post in Munai, an inland municipality of Lanao del Norte.

During the ceremony, Colonel Benito de Leon, its present commander, paid tribute to his six predecessors who had led the brigade to great achievements. The first commander of 104^th Infantry Brigade was Col. Romeo Tolentino who became the Commanding General of the Philippine Army. The brigade was eventually assumed by Col Alexander Aleo, and subsequently by Col. Alexander Yapching. Then Col. Nehemias Pajarito, now a major general, was its fourth commander and is presently the Commander of 1^st Infantry Division. He was followed by Col. Reynaldo Sealana and then by Col. Antonio Supnet. In citing past accomplishments, De Leon urged his troops to reflect and draw inspiration from it to pursue their present tasks with vigor. “Even as we have succeeded in securing the threatened communities here, we still have to bring Bravo and his group to justice and calm the apprehensions of the people,” De Leon reminded his troops.

Major General Pajarito, the guest of honor and speaker, also prodded the brigade to up their warrior spirit in decimating the group of Bravo that caused the recent havoc in Lanao del Norte. He referred to Bravo’s group as bandits in the same kind as that of the Abu Sayaff. The troops of 104^th Brigade should keep in mind the reason for which it was created and had performed so well in the past, he added.

In the same occasion, Hon. Casan Maquiling of Lanao del Norte Provincial Council delivered the message of Governor Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo congratulating and wishing the brigade for its continued good performance in its role of protecting the lives of people. General Alexander Yano the Chief of Staff, AFP also personally sent via text his message of congratulations and admiration to the 104^th Brigade.

As the brigade commemorates its 8^th Anniversary, skirmishes were being reported from its frontline units running after the lawless band of Bravo between the boundaries of the two Lanao Provinces.

The 4^th Brigade of the 1^st Infantry (Tabak) Division, Philippine Army was activated on 26 October 2000 to neutralize the Abu Sayaff Group, bandits operating in Sulu and Tawi Tawi Provinces. On 29 January 2008, the brigade was redeployed and given Lanao del Norte as its area of responsibility. In the aftermath of the 18 August atrocity caused by the group of Abdullah Macapaar aka Bravo, the brigade was among the units tasked to neutralize this lawless group. It recently established its advance command post in Barangay Cadulawan of Munai which is considered the gateway to the Camp Bilal Complex of Bravo.