20 Bn

 WE LEAD -BATTLE CRY OF THE BATTALION.

 SHIELD - THE PRIMARY ROLE OF EVERY UNIT OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY IS TO                        PROTECT THE COUNTRY AND PEOPLE FROM THE ENEMIES OF THE                            STATE AND DEMOCRACY.

STARS - REPRESENTS THE THREE (3) MAJOR ISLAND GROUPS:                 

                LUZON, VISAYAS AND MINDANAO.

WHITE - SIGNIFIES THE NOBLE RESOLVE OF THE UNIT TO PERFORM ITS TASK.

BLUE - PEACE

RED -   COURAGE AND BRAVERY IN ACTION.

ARMOR - THE UNIT BEFORE WAS THE FIRST MECHANIZED INFANTRY BATTALION.

TUBE, RIFLE AND KALIS - SIGNIFIES FIREPOWER AND ITS FIGHTING ABILITY IN COMBAT.

I - UNIT/DATE OF ORGANIZATION/PRESENT STATION:  THE 20^TH INFANTRY (WE LEAD) BATTALION FORMERLY KNOWN AS 20BCT WAS ACTIVATED ON 06 SEPTEMBER 1950.  THE UNIT IS TEMP BASE AT PPA TERMINAL, BRGY SALVACION, SAN ISIDRO, NORTHERN SAMAR. ALPHA COY IS SITUATED AT BRGY MAGSAYSAY, LOPE DE VEGA, NORTHERN SAMAR WHILE BRAVO COY ESTABLISHED ITS COY CP AT BRGY TROJILLO, BOBON, NORTHERN SAMAR AND CHARLIE COY IS CO-LOCATED WITH THE BATTALION HEADQUARTERS.

            AT PRESENT THE BATTALION OPERATES UNDER THE SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OF 803^RD INFANTRY BDE OF THE 8^TH INFANTRY DIVISION, PHILIPPINE ARMY CONFRONTING COMMUNIST TERRORIST MOVEMENT IN THE FIRST DISTRICT OF NORTHERN SAMAR AND CALBAYOG CITY.

II  - CHANGES IN ORGANIZATION:  WHEN 20BCT RETURNED FROM KOREA TO ITS NATIVE LAND, THE UNIT WAS DEPLOYED IN BULACAN PROVINCE BUT WAS LATER DEACTIVATED IN 1957.  ON SEPTEMBER 1958, 20BCT WAS REACTIVATED AND WAS FURTHER ASSIGNED WITH THE 1^ST INFANTRY (TABAK) DIVISION AT FORT MAGSAYSAY, PALAYAN CITY.  AFTER FIVE (5) YEARS WITH THE 1^ST INFANTRY (TABAK) DIVISION, THE UNIT WAS REDUCED TO A CADRE STRENGTH AND ASSUMED THE TASK OF TRAINING THE 20-YEAR OLD MILITARY REGISTRANTS.

DURING THE RESURGENCE OF REBELLION IN CENTRAL LUZON, THE UNIT WAS REORGANIZED ON 07 JANUARY 1963 TO MEET THE THREAT.  ITS REGULAR STRENGTH WAS INCREASED TO 85% OF THE AUTHORIZED TROOP CEILING.  THE UNIT DISPLAYED ITS EXCEPTIONAL TRAINING AND COMBAT READINESS IN LINE WITH CONTEMPORARY FORMS OF WARFARE. ON APRIL 1978, THE UNIT UNDERWENT MECHANIZED INFANTRY TRAINING AT CAMP AQUINO, TARLAC PURSUANT TO GENERAL ORDERS NR 71 HPA DTD 01 APRIL 1978 AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REDESIGNATED AS MECHANIZED INFANTRY BATTALION. ON 1980, THE UNIT WAS AGAIN ORDERED TO UNDERGO RETRAINING AT CAMP AQUINO TARLAC FOR THE PURPOSE OF REDEPLOYMENT TO SAMAR AND WAS REDESIGNATED AS AN INFANTRY BATTALION.

ON 16 JUNE 1986, THE BATTALION WAS ABSORBED BY THE NEWLY ACTIVATED 8^TH INFANTRY BRIGADE (SEPARATE), THE FORERUNNER OF 8^TH INFANTRY DIVISION, PHILIPPINE ARMY.  ON 16 APRIL 1996, THE BATTALION LEFT THE 8^TH INFANTRY DIVISION AOR AND SAILED TO A NEW DESTINATION IN MINDANAO AND WAS PLACED UNDER OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF TASK FORCE SOUTHERN MINDANAO (TFSM).  UPON THE DEACTIVATION OF TFSM ON 20 JAN 1997, THE UNIT WAS PLACED UNDER OPCON OF 601^ST INF BDE, 6^TH INFANTRY DIVISION, PHILIPPINE ARMY.  ON 19 AUGUST 1998, THE UNIT LEFT 6^TH INF DIV AREA FOR DEPLOYMENT IN CARAGA REGION AND WAS PLACED UNDER OPCON  OF 401^ST INF BDE, 4^TH INFANTRY DIVISION, PHILIPPINE ARMY WITH ITS AOR COVERING AGUSAN DEL NORTE AND SURIGAO DEL NORTE.   

III  - CHANGES IN STATION:  ON 06 SEPTEMBER 1950, 20BCT WAS ACTIVATED AND   UNDERWENT RIGOROUS TRAINING IN PREPARATION FOR DEPLOYMENT  ABROAD AS PART OF THE PHILIPPINE CONTINGENT TO THE UNITED NATIONS EXPEDITIONARY FORCES TO KOREA (PEFTOK). AFTER A YEAR STINT IN KOREA, 20BCT RETURNED TO THE PHILIPPINES ON 08 AUGUST 1952.  THEREAFTER 20BCT ESTABLISHED ITS BASE IN PLARIDEL, BULACAN AND WAS TASKED ON THE INTERNAL STABILITY CAMPAIGN IN THE AREA.  IT WAS IN 1957 WHERE PEACE AND ORDER WAS RESTORED IN THE AREA THAT 20BCT WAS PULLED-OUT AND LATER ON DEACTIVATED.

IN THE EARLY PART OF SEPTEMBER 1958, 20BCT WAS REACTIVATED AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ASSIGNED WITH THE 1^ST INFANTRY (TABAK) DIVISION AT FORT MAGSAYSAY, PALAYAN CITY. ON 01 FEBRUARY 1961, THE UNIT TRANSFERRED ITS HEADQUARTERS AT TRES CRUSEZ, TANZA CAVITE. ON 17 MAY 1963, ITS COMMAND POST WAS RELOCATED AT CAGUTUD, ARAYAT, PAMPANGA RIGHT IN THE HEART OF HUKLANDIA. AFTER CRUSHING THE HUK REBELLION, THE COUNTRY FACED ANOTHER DISSIDENT MOVEMENT, THE CPP/NPA. ON ITS OUTBREAK, THE UNIT WAS TRANSFERRED TO PALANAN, ISABELA AS PART OF THE “TASK FORCE PALANAN” WITH ITS COMMAND POST LOCATED AT THE MUCH PUBLICIZED DIGOYO POINT WITH ITS AOR COVERING THE MUNICIPALITIES OF PALANAN, DIVILACAN, MACONACON AND DINAPIGUE ALL OF ISABELA PROVINCE.

ON 28 SEPTEMBER 1972, ELEMENTS OF THIS UNIT HURDLES THE THICKLY FORESTED SIERRA MADRE MOUNTAIN LED BY THEN COL JUAN RESMA FROM SUPLIT, PALANAN TO SAN MARIANO.  ON JANUARY 1978, THE BATTALION WAS RELIEVED FROM ITS COMMAND POST TO UNDERGO MECHANIZED INFANTRY TRAINING IN CAMP AQUINO, TARLAC. AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THEIR TRAINING. THE UNIT WAS DEPLOYED IN BATAAN WITH ITS COMMAND POST LOCATED AT ROOSEVELT, DINALUPIHAN, BATAAN.

IN 1980, THE UNIT WENT ON RETRAINING AT CAMP AQUINO, TARLAC AND WAS REDESIGNED AS AN INFANTRY BATTALION PRIOR TO ITS DEPLOYMENT IN VISAYAS ISLAND SPECIFICALLY IN THE PROVINCE OF SAMAR WITH ITS INITIAL STATION AT DOLONGAN, BASEY, WESTERN SAMAR (COVERING THE 13 MUNICIPALITIES OF WESTERN SAMAR) AND SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSFERRED TO BARANGAY PARASANON, PINABACDAO, WESTERN SAMAR.

ON 13 SEPTEMBER 1988, THE UNIT WAS REDEPLOYED TO SOUTHERN LEYTE IN LINE WITH THE GHQ CAMPAIGN PLAN “LAMBAT BITAG” WITH ITS HQS AT SAN JUAN, SOUTHERN LEYTE COVERING 14 MUNICIPALITIES.  AFTER SUCCEEDING IN DISMANTLING THE SOUTHERN LEYTE FIGHTING FRONT OF THE CPP/NPA, THE UNIT WAS REDEPLOYED ON 11 MARCH 1991 TO NORTHERN SAMAR AND REESTABLISHED ITS BATTALION COMMAND POST AT BRGY URDANETA, LAVEZARES, NORTHERN SAMAR. THE UNIT COVERS SEVENTEEN (17) MUNICIPALITIES, FOUR (4) OF WHICH WERE ISLAND TOWNS. IT WAS TASKED TO SECURE THE GATEWAY OF VISAYAS AND MINDANAO THRU LEYTE AND SAMAR, WITH SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF DISMANTLING THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MAIN FORCE OF THE DISSIDENT TERRORISTS IN THE AREA.

ON 16 APRIL 1996, THE BATTALION LEFT ITS BASE IN NORTHERN SAMAR AND SAILED TO A NEW DESTINATION IN MINDANAO. UPON THEIR ARRIVAL AT GENERAL SANTOS CITY, THE UNIT WAS PLACED UNDER THE CONTROL OF TASK FORCE SOUTHERN MINDANAO (TFSM) AND WAS TASKED TO SECURE THE PALARONG PAMBANSA THEREAT.

ON 26 APRIL 1996, THE UNIT RELIEVED-IN-PLACE ANOTHER BATTALION AT STA CRUZ, DAVAO DEL SUR WITH THE WHOLE PROVINCE OF DAVAO DEL SUR AS ITS NEW AREA OF OPERATION. ON 20 JANUARY 1997, THE UNIT EXPANDED ITS AOR WITH THE ADDITION OF SARANGANI PROVINCE AND WAS PLACED UNDER OPCON OF 601^ST INF BDE.  WITH ITS NEW AOR, THE UNIT FACED THE DIFFICULT CHALLENGES OF CONFRONTING DIFFERENT THREAT GROUPS SUCH AS DISSIDENT TERRORIST, SECESSIONIST GROUP AND LOCAL BANDITS.

 

FOLLOWING THE REALIGNMENT OF UNITS’ AOR IN THE 6^TH INF DIV, 20IB AO WAS READJUSTED ON 28 JANUARY 1998 WITH SARANGANI PROVINCE TAKEN BY ANOTHER BATTALION WHILE DAVAO DEL SUR AND FOUR MUNICIPALITIES OF NORTH COTABATO WERE ADDED AS ITS NEW AOR. THE UNIT FACED CHALLENGES IN CONFRONTING THE NOTORIOUS GUERILLA FRONT 51 THAT WAS THEN VERY ACTIVE IN THE AREAS AT THE FOOT OF MT. APO.

ON 19 AUGUST 1998, THE UNIT LEFT DAVAO DEL SUR FOR REDEPLOYMENT IN CARAGA REGION COVERING SURIGAO DEL NORTE AND AGUSAN DEL NORTE. ITS BATTALION COMMAND POST WAS LOCATED AT BRGY BLISS, KITCHARAO, AGUSAN DEL NORTE AND PLACED UNDER OPCON OF 401^ST BDE, 4^TH INFANTRY DIVISION. HOWEVER, WHEN THE 401^ST BDE MOVED TO LANAO AREA THE UNIT WAS PLACED UNDER OPCON OF 402^ND BDE, 4^TH INFANTRY DIVISION.

ON 28 SEPTEMBER 2003, IN LINE WITH THE 4^TH INFANTRY DIVISION CAMPAIGN PLAN “APOCALYPSE BRAVO” AND THE COMING OF 401^ST BDE CONTROLLING THE AREA OF AGUSAN DEL NORTE AND SURIGAO DEL NORTE, THE BATTALION HEADQUARTERS WAS RELOCATED AT BRGY STA CRUZ, PLACER, SURIGAO DEL NORTE VACATING THE AREA OF BUTUAN CITY AND AGUSAN DEL NORTE TO 30^TH INFANTRY BATTALION, 4^TH INFANTRY DIVISION EXCEPT FOR THE   MUNICIPALITIES OF KITCHARAO AND JABONGA, AGUSAN DEL NORTE. ON 16 MARCH 2004, 20^TH INFANTRY BATTALION DISPLACED ITS AOR IN CARAGA REGION AND RETURNED TO SAMAR ON 22 MARCH 2004 AND WAS PLACED UNDER OPCON OF 801ST INF BDE AND FINALLY WITH THE 803^RD INF BDE. 

IV  - SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY: THE UNIT REPLACED 10BCT IN KOREA AND PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS BATTLES MOST NOTABLE WERE THE BATTLES OF ALLIGATOR JAW RIDGE (WEST OF CHORWON) AND BATTLE OF JAMESTOWN LINE.  ALTHOUGH SOME OF ITS PERSONNEL WERE WOUNDED AND EIGHT WERE KILLED IN ACTION, THE UNIT SUCCESSFULLY WON ITS CAMPAIGNS.

IN RECOGNITION TO ITS STERLING PERFORMANCE AND INDISPENSABLE CONTRIBUTION TO WAR, THE UNIT WAS AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE - SOUTH KOREA CITATION BADGE.

WHEN 20BCT RETURNED TO ITS NATIVE LAND, THE UNIT PARTICIPATED IN THE PACIFICATION CAMPAIGN IN THE PROVINCE OF BULACAN. THE FIGHTING ABILITY OF ITS PERSONNEL RESULTED TO THE DISORGANIZATION AND NEUTRALIZATION OF THE INSURGENTS (HUK) MOVEMENT. LIKEWISE, THE UNIT NEUTRALIZED SEVERAL HUK COMMANDERS INCLUDING THE NOTORIOUS COMMANDER TONY (THE HUK CHIEFTAIN OF PAMPANGA) AND THE RECOVERY OF ASSORTED HIGH POWERED FIREARMS AND ENEMY MATERIALS THAT EVENTUALLY  PAVED WAY TO THE BREAK UP OF THE HMB IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY.

WHEN THE UNIT WAS IN THE PROVINCE OF ISABELA, IT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE FRUSTRATED LANDING OF ARMS AND AMMUNITION BY M/V KARAGATAN AND M/V MERELY INTENDED FOR THE REBELS OF DIGOYO POINT AS WELL AS FOR THE RECOVERY OF 17 M14 RIFLES WITH 21 MAG POUCHES AND 75 MAGAZINE AND ASSORTED COMBAT EQUIPMENT AFTER AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE REBELS AT VICINITY HILL 225, A FORESTED AREA IN SIERRA MADRE MOUNTAINS.

ON MARCH 1975, TROOPS FROM BRAVO COMPANY UNDER 2LT BARROSO WAS ENCOUNTERED AT BRGY DICAMAY UNO, JONES, ISABELA THAT RESULTED TO THE RECOVERY OF FOUR (4) CAL .30 LMG, ASSORTED ROUNDS OF HPFAS AND VOLUMINOUS SUBVERSIVE DOCUMENTS.

ON OCTOBER 1975, JUANITO CANLAS @ POPOY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY OF CAGAYAN VALLEY COMMAND OF THE CPP/NPA WAS ARRESTED IN MANILA. DURING THE BATTALION CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE SUBVERSIVE ELEMENTS, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE PARTY RETURNED TO THE FOLDS OF THE LAW.

AFTER THE RETRAINING IN TARLAC, THE UNIT WAS REDEPLOYED TO SAMAR AND DURING ITS EIGHT (8) YEAR STINT IN THE AREA, THE UNIT DISPLAYED EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE IN ITS COUNTER – INSURGENCY CAMPAIGN AND MAINTAINED THE HIGHEST FORM OF DISCIPLINE AND DEDICATION TO DUTY AND WAS AWARDED THE BEST BATTALION IN CIVIL-MILITARY OPERATIONS OF THE 5^TH INFANTRY DIVISION, PHILIPPINE ARMY FOR THE YEAR 1983. 

ON 13 SEPTEMBER 1988, WHEN THE UNIT WAS REDEPLOYED IN SOUTHERN LEYTE, THE UNIT SUCCEEDED IN THE DISMANTLING OF THE CPP-NPA FIGHTING FRONT IN A SPAN OF TWO YEARS BY INFLICTING HEAVY ENEMY CASUALTIES, THE RECOVERY OF 57 AFFECTED BRGYS, THE SURRENDER AND CAPTURE OF 20 PARTY BRANCH MEMBERS, 2 NPA REGULARS, 339 SMA AND 2,122 CT MASS BASE SUPPORTERS.

ON 11 MARCH 1991, THE BATTALION WAS TRANSFERRED TO NORTHERN SAMAR WHERE THE UNIT WAS ADJUDGED AS THE BEST BATTALION FOR INTELLIGENCE, VISAYAS-WIDE.  IN 1994, THE BATTALION WAS RATED NUMBER TWO IN THE 8^TH INFANTRY DIVISION-WIDE AND ONE OF THE TOP TEN BATTALIONS IN THE WHOLE PHILIPPINE ARMY.

THE AGGRESSIVE TRIAD CAMPAIGNS OF THE UNIT MADE NORTHERN SAMAR PEACEFUL. ANOTHER CHALLENGE FOR THE BATTALION ARISE WHEN THE UNIT WAS TRANSFERRED IN MINDANAO AREA ON 16 APRIL 1996.  WHILE ON ITS NEW AOR IN DAVAO DEL SUR AND PART OF NORTH COTABATO, THE UNIT LAUNCHED MASSIVE COMBAT AND INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS TARGETING THE TERRORIST DISSIDENTS ARMED GROUPS AND LEADERS.  ON 02 MARCH 1998, THE EFFORTS BORE FRUITS WHEN THE BATTALION RAIDED AN NPA SAFE HOUSE AND ARRESTED THE INFAMOUS AND NOTORIOUS HEAD OF THE GUERILLA FRONT 51, AMADO PAYOT @ BENZAR. 

ONCE MORE, THE 20^TH INFANTRY (WE LEAD) BATTALION PROVED ITS WORTH IN SERVING OUR COUNTRY & PEOPLE WHEN IT WAS ADJUDGED AS BEST INFANTRY BATTALION OF THE 8^TH DIVISION FOR CY 1997-1998.

ON 19 AUGUST 1998 THE UNIT WAS REDEPLOYED IN CARAGA REGION COVERING SURIGAO DEL NORTE AND AGUSAN DEL NORTE.  DURING ITS STAY IN THE AREA, THE BATTALION HAD LAUNCHED INTENSIFIED TRIAD OPERATIONS THAT RESULTED TO SOME REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS SUCH AS; THE SUCCESSFUL AMBUSH BY THE OPERATING TROOPS AGAINST 20 FULLY ARMED NPA AT BRGY PERLDA, ALEGRIA, SURIGAO DEL NORTE ON 16 FEB 1999 THAT RESULTED TO THE CAPTURE OF ONE (1) WOUNDED AMAZON IDENTIFIED AS JELYN DAYONG AND THE RECOVERY OF FIVE (5) HPFA’S; THE NEUTRALIZATION OF ABELARDO MAGPATOC @ SECRETARY OF FRONT NORTH 16, NORTH EASTERN MINDANAO REGIONAL PARTY COMMITTEE (NEMRC); DURING THE FAILED ATTACK AT MAYAG DET ON 17 FEB 2002; THE RAID AT BRGY MARAIGING, JABONGA, AGUSAN DEL NORTE ON 28 OCTOBER 2003 THAT RESULTED TO THE CAPTURE OF TWO (2) AMAZON NAMELY ARLENE NATAD AMARILLE @ MAYLYN AND MELODY LAURO LARONG @ EM-EM, BOTH MEMBER OF DIST F16, FN 77 AND THE RECOVERY OF SEVEN (7) HPFA’S; THE RAID AT BRGY TAGBAYANI, SISON, SURIGAO DEL NORTE ON 24 JULY 2003 THAT RESULTED TO THE NEUTRALIZATION OF FOUR (4) CTS, ONE CAPTURED AND THE RECOVERY OF ASSORTED FIREARMS; THE NEUTRALIZATION OF NOTORIOUS ARNULFO MAYORDO @ KULAS/BEN LADEN, A FORMER CT MEMBER ON 03 SEPTEMBER 2003 AND THE NEUTRALIZATION OF EUSEBIO DUMAGUIT @ IRAQ A CT LEADER WITH HIS TWO OTHER COMPANIONS ON 01 JANUARY 2004.

ON 11 MARCH 2004, OPERATING TROOPS OF THE UNIT ENCOUNTERED MORE OR LESS THIRTY (30) CTS AT VIC BGY ALIPAO, ALEGRIA, SDN THAT RESULTED TO THE RECOVERY OF TWO (2) CAL. 45 PISTOLS, ONE (1) CELL PHONE AND THE KILLING OF TWO (2) CTS (BODY COUNT), ONE IDENTIFIED AS EUSEBIO DUMAGUIT ALSO KNOWN AS COMDR IRAQ. WHILE ON PURSUIT OPN, SAME OPERATING TROOPS ENC MORE OR LESS TWENTY (20) AND RECOVERED ONE (1) AR 18 ARMALITE RIFLE. THE ENCOUNTER LASTED FOR ALMOST THIRTY (30) MINUTES.

ON 121700 JANUARY 2007, ONE (1) SECTION COMPOSED OF ONE (1) SQUAD OF INTEL OPERATIVES AND ONE (1) SQD OF SCOUT PLTN WHO WERE DEPLOYED TO SECURE THE SEAPORTS OF ALLEN IN LIEU OF THE IMPLAN SUMMIT UNDER 2LT JESSIE JAMES B TUGUIC (INF) PA SUCCESSFULLY APPREHENDED TWO (2) CTS, CTL ROQUE DUHAPA Y PORTILES @ ONEL/OKING/ABEL A FULLTIME CT LEADER AND AT THE SAME TIME THE FINANCE OFFICER OF THE NORTHERN SAMAR PROVINCIAL PARTY COMMITTEE (NSPPC) AND CTM FELIPE CUANICO Y SALUDARIO @ ALEX.  ALSO SEIZED IN THEIR POSSESSION WERE TWO (2) CAL .38 REVOLVER LOADED WITH FIVE (5) AMMUNITION EACH.

                                                                                                                                                                          

V.        - THE COMMANDERS: THE HISTORY OF 20IB GOES ON WITH ITS MOTTO “WE LEAD FOR GOD AND COMMUNITY” CONTINUE TO BE THE TOUCHSTONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE UNIT.

Sunday, January 01, 2017