By
PHILIP JAMES M TREMEDAL
Misamis Occidental Bureau
 |
| Assistant Chief of Staff fro Civil Military Operation (G7) Col Ben Manquiquis and (DPAO) Major Richard Enciso. |
Camp
CL Sang-an, Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur (August 6, 2016) – Army
Transformation Roadmap (ATR) Champions, a group of media practitioners from
Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Lanao del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur
gathered recently as the 1st Infantry TABAK Division hosted it first Media
Fellowship at the Officer’s Club of the Premier Army Division in this camp on
Saturday (August 6) to strengthen it camaraderie together with the Tabak
Defense Press Corps.
TDPC-ATR
Champions President Crismon Llanos of Pagadian City who initiates said
gathering of the ATR Champions passed Resolution 2016-01 to gratefully give
thanks and appreciate the Army Division Commander, Major General Gerardo F. Barrientos,
Jr. AFP and the General Staff particularly the Office of the Assistant Chief of
Staff fro Civil Military Operations (G7) under Col Ben Manquiquis, the 1st
Division Public Affairs (DPAO)now under Major Richard Enciso, and the 1st
Division Training School who gave us a wonderful day watching its men shows
their capabilities special on slide for Life, Australian Rappelling to name a
few and other training design how to become a model soldier of the Army’
Premier Division.
On
the said Media Fellowship, Col Bareng, Chief of Staff who represents the
Commanding General answered few question during the press conference, on
Illegal Drugs campaign against military involve in the said menace, the 1st
Division intensified the 1ID Anti-Illegal Drug Task Unit “TABAK” which aims to
strengthen and reinforce the anti-illegal drugs efforts of the Command.
Col
Bareng farther told the ATR Champions that 1ID is also giving full support to
the Philippine National Police counterpart and other law Enforcement Agencies in
the conduct of LEO against any drug related operations thru the special
operations unit.
“Yes,
we initiated random drug testing to all of the division operating units and
operational control units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines assigned in
our army division particularly those who were suspected. 847 personnel undergo
with the random testing, and 84 for were found out using the illegal drugs
during the initial screening. But 68 of them were found positive during the
confirmatory test at forensic laboratory, and 65 now are discharge from the
military service while three (3) still under investigation.” said the Chief of
Staff.
On
secession and rebellion both the CNN and the MILF-MNLF, the command confirm
that we are waiting for the official communication from higher headquarters
regarding the Unilateral Ceasefire declared by the President, but because of
the recent incident in Davao del Norte, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte revoke
his command, the 1ID still at its position and ready to whatever command it
will received. On the Southern Philippines ASG, the AFP is on the move to
counter any terroristic acts committed by the Abu Sayaff.
Meantime,
the ATR Champions who learned to handle the new AR-4 Rifle enjoy a few shots at
the Division Firing Range and experience the best of it.
On
his part, Col Manquiquis thank the ATR Champions to their invitation in coming
and joining the said Media Fellowship to strengthen the command relations thru
a responsible media reporting to every one of the invited media personalities
from Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Pagadian
City, Zamboanga del Sur and the Dipolog City , Zamboanga del Norte Media
practitioners.
For
this writer and member of the Tabak Division Press Corps-Army Transformation
Roadmap (ATR) Champions, thank for the time the 1st Infantry TABAK Division
teach me how to handle and fire the newest Army Combat Rifle, the AR-4…
