The 15 th Infantry “Molave Warrior” Battalion is now raring to accomplish its new mission – this time in Negros – after battling the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu province, Lt. Col. Erwin de Asis, 3 rd Infantry Division Public Information Officer, said.

De Asis said soldiers of the 15 th IB recently completed their two-month retraining at Camp Macario Peralta in Jamindan, Capiz.

The 3 rd ID is now waiting for a Philippine Navy transport ship to ferry the 15 th IB troopers from Panay to Negros island.

De Asis said the retraining of 15 th IB was interrupted last year by their redeployment to Sulu province, to help the combined Army and Marine units combat the Abu Sayyaf Group.

The 15 th IB will join the 79 th Infantry Battalion, which is under the supervision of the 302 nd Infantry Brigade stationed in Bohol, to be deployed in Negros island.

The 3 rd ID is now recruiting 500 more candidate soldiers to fill up its manpower requirements in Western and Central Visayas , de Asis also said.

He added that the retraining of 15 th IB further enhanced their overall proficiency and operational readiness, making them more capable and responsive to challenges.

Maj. Gen. Jovenal Narcise, 3 rd ID commanding general, emphasized the importance of training in the proficiency in arms, adding that “to sweat in training is better than to bleed in battle”.

Narcise also exhorted members of the 15 th IB to always keep up with the standards of moral and ethical way of solving insurgency problems, as God-centered, nation-focused, family-based and service oriented protectors of the people.

In preparation for the realignment of forces in Western and Central Visayas , 3 rd ID troopers underwent Military Values Education and Spiritual Enhancement Seminar, which was conducted by the Chaplain Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines , Women of Purpose and Cadence Asia.

Negros accounts for four of the seven guerilla fronts to be dismantled by the 3 rd Infantry Division in Western and Central Visayas until 2010.*GPB

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