Bangit Pulls Out RP's UN Peace Keeping Force in Masbate

DARAGA, Albay, May 18 -- Gen. Delfin Bangit, Armed Forces Chief of Staff, directed on Monday the pulling out of the 85th Army Battalion after a successful security operation in the recently held first automated election in the island province of Masbate.

Bangit, in a command conference at the Philippine Army 901st Infantry Brigade based here following a visit in Masbate, said the pullout of the Army battalion from the country's contingent to United Nation (UN) peace keeping force in Haiti, headed by Col. Louie Dagoy, would be replaced by another Army battalion from the 9th Infantry Division.

Bangit said while they are pulling out the 85th Army battalion for another challenging assignment, the AFP in Bikol continues to go after and dismantle private armed groups(PAGs), including communist guerrillas operating in the province of Masbate.

"We will continue our fight against private armed groups and the New People's Army rebels sowing fear and terror to the communities in the region," Bangit said.

He said even after the successful May presidential and local election, the joint Task Force Masbate, a composite group from the Army and the Philippine National Police (AFP-PNP), would pursue its task to end lawless elements to operate in Masbate.

Colonel Alvin Tiam Watt, AFP Special Task Force Masbate commander, said the task force recorded 12 election-related violent incident (ERVI)in Masbate this May election.

Tiam Watt said that the ERVI had waned this year, saying that "from a total number of 22 in CY 2004 elections, 18 incidences were recorded in CY 2007 midterm elections."

At Camp Villahermosa in Daraga, Bangit extended his appreciation to his commanders and men for a "job well done" for successfully making the May national and local election generally peaceful. (PNA)