Marawi-veteran Scout Rangers to fight Abu Sayyaf in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Armed Forces of the Philippines, Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom) has deployed the Fifth Scout Ranger Battalion in Sulu to bolster the fight against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), who is now in hiding and holding camps in the forested areas of Sulu.

AFP-WestMinCom Commander Lt Gen Carlito Galvez, Jr., said during the send-off ceremony Monday that the Rangers “will do well in defeating the threats in Sulu as you did a great job in leading the fight to liberate Marawi City from the claws of the terrorists.”

The send-off ceremony was held during the flag-raising ceremony at the AFP-WestMinCom headquarters in Camp Navarro, Calarian, this city at around 7 a.m. Monday.

The unit was just recently activated after a lengthy deployment in in Marawi City where the armed conflict raged on for five months.

Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Marlo Jomalesa led the unit in a series of unit trainings in Camp Malagutay, Zamboanga before their deployment to Sulu.

This developed as Galvez also pinned the Gold Cross Medals to 1st Lt Jay-Arr Quiapo, Sgt Gerry Gaspar Padayogdog, Sgt Antonino Basa, Cpl Lisan Aspacio, and Cpl Rodrigo Novilla of the 5th Scout Ranger Battalion for their gallantry during the series of armed engagements with Maute fighters in Marawi City.