78 Bn

UNIT HISTORY

(As of November 2013)

The 78th infantry (Warrior) Battalion traces its roots from the now dissolved 5th Scout Ranger Battalion (5SRB). Pursuant to General Orders No. 37, Headquarters Philippine Army, dated 30 January 1988. The 5th Scout Ranger Battalion of the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR), Special Operation Command, Philippine Army was activated effective 16 February 1988. 5SRB was initially based at Fort Andres Bonifacio, Makati City, and had an initial strength of seven (7) officers and one hundred thirty eight (138) enlisted personnel coming from the existing four (4) battalions and ten (10) independent companies of FSRR.

The unit was dispatched for combat duty in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Quezon and Laguna, in Luzon, in order to help solve the escalating insurgency situation in these areas.  In 1989, 5SRB’s troop fill-up reached a total of seventeen (17) officers and three hundred forty (340) enlisted personnel, representing HHSC, Alpha and Bravo companies. In the middle of CY 1989, 5SRB then the National Maneuver Force of Philippine Army in Luzon, was redeployed in Negros Island in the Visayas.  The unit operated in CHICKS area – Candoni, Hinoba-an, Ilog, Cauayan, Kabankalan and Sipalay municipalities in Negros Occidental. Later, on the unit operated in central parts of Negros, specifically in the towns of Murcia, Talisay and Manapla, and Silay City.

                        In 01 January 1990, the 5th Scout Ranger Battalion was unfilled and subsequently renamed 78th Infantry Battalion, an organic unit of 3rd Infantry Division, pursuant to General Orders No. 542, Headquarters Philippine Army, dated 21 December 1989. This move came after the FSRR was dissolved when its units figured prominently in the failed coup d’ etat attempt in 1989.  As an infantry battalion, the troop fill-up of the unit was increased to twenty (20) officers and four hundred thirty two (432) enlisted personnel. Subsequently, Charlie Company was organized effective 01 January 1991, while Delta Company (Provisional) followed suit on 01 July 1991. However, Delta Company was later on dissolved in February 1993.

The newly activated 78IB was given an AOR covering the municipalities of Calatrava, Toboso, Escalante, part of Sagay, portion of Cadiz, and San Carlos City, all of Negros Occidental, and the municipalities of Vallehermoso, northern part of Guihulngan and Canlaon City of Negros Oriental. Sometime 1994, the unit underwent battalion retraining for almost three (3) months at Calatrava, and thereafter moved to its new AOR in the southern part of Negros Island; the municipalities of Basay, Hinobaan, Ilog and portion of Kabangkalan and Sipalay. For five (5) years and seven (7) months the unit operated with distinction against the Communist Terrorists (CTs) in Negros Island. The 78IB kept the CTs always on the run, and forced them to disperse into smaller formations.

After the ASG attack at Ipil, Zamboanga del Sur, the unit was redeployed in Mindanao. The redeployment of 78IB outside Negros Island was also due partly to DILG’s plan to make Negros Island a pilot project wherein the PNP will assume lead role in ISO. In southern Mindanao, 78IB was given the specific task of securing vital installations of 9th Military Support Point (9MSP) in Zamboanga City while serving as Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) of SOUTHCOM, AFP, based in Zamboanga City.

The heightened Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) threat in central Mindanao made higher headquarters redeploy 78IB in the province of Maguindanao.  Its new AOR comprised five (5) barangays of Sultan Sa Barongis, which include among others Reina Regente mountain range, a known MILF stronghold in central Mindanao for 20 years. The unit had its baptism of fire in Mindanao at Brgy Sapakan, Sultan Sa Barongis, Maguindanao. In 27 February 1996, the fierce 78IB troopers supported by Air Force elements successfully captured Camps Wato, Didagen and Logpond in the hills of Reina Regente, Sultan Sa Barongis, Maguindanao.

In 1997, the unit participated in anti-kidnapping campaign of 6th Infantry Division in central Mindanao, which resulted to the rescue of forty three (43) PNOC personnel held hostage by MILF elements at Brgy Kabasalan, Pikit, North Cotabato in 15 June 1997. This incident triggered the first joint military offensive against the MILF, which led to the capture of Camp Raja Muda. In that same year, the newly formed MILF Internal Security Force tried to regain Reina Regente, but was easily repulsed by 78IB troopers. The MILF rebels did not attempt again to retake Reina Regente from the hands of 78IB after their failure.

In October 1998, the unit participated in the first ever offensive waged against the MILF elements at Camp Omar, located between Datu Piang and Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao. The following month, it also participated in another major engagement against the MILF at bridges of Brgy Labo-labo. The successful operation led to the establishment of government control over the national highway in the area, then under control by MILF. In 1999, the unit was part of the successful military offensive under Task Group Charlie, 6ID at Talayan and Datu Piang, Maguindanao that neutralized and cleared numerous MILF positions along the national highway. The troops also participated in the operation that neutralized newly established camp of 108th Brigade, BIAF at Brgy Simsiman, Columbio, Sultan Kudarat.

From 6ID AOR, the unit was redeployed at 4ID after the MILF attacked the town of Kauswagan, Lanao Del Norte in 30 March 2000. The Battalion established temporary camp at Brgy Libertad, Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, and participated in the following operations in Lanao provinces:  Agus IV, Baloi, Poona Piagapo and Munai complex in Lanao del Sur, and; Camp Al Madinah, Marugong, Lanao del Norte. 78IB also showed its mettle when it was designated as one of the maneuver battalions during the AFP offensive in August 2000 that led to the capture of MILF’s main headquarters Camp Abu Bakar. After a successful and glorifying stint in Mindanao, the battle-hardened troops of 78IB left Mindanao for Panay Island sometime end of 3rd quarter 2000. It established camp at Calinog, Iloilo and retrained thereat in September 2000.

In 12 January 2001, the Battalion moved from Panay Island to nearby Negros Island, with its HQ at Brgy Burgos, Cadiz City. It operated in the towns / cities of Sagay, Escalante, Toboso, Cadiz, Manapla, Victorias, Calatrava and Don Salvador Benidicto, all of Negros Occidental. More than a year later, 78IB was redeployed in the island province of Bohol in 04 March 2002, with its AOR covering the municipalities of Getafe, Trinidad, Danao, Sagbayan, Tubigon, Buenavista, Talibon, Dagohoy and Carmen. The unit conducted series of SOT (Special Operations Team) operations in Bohol.

In 09 June 2002, 78IB left Bohol for the province of Cebu due to rising CT threat especially at eastern side of mid-northern Cebu, wherein the CTs raided the town hall of Sogod. The Battalion HQ was established at Brgy Damolog, Sogod, with area of operations (AO) covering the city of Danao and fourteen (14) municipalities of Daan Bantayan, Medellin, Bogo, San Remigio, Tabogon, Borbon, Tabuelan, Sogod, Catmon, Carmen, Compostela, Consolacion,  Asturias and Balamban.

Sometime in December 2004, the Battalion established temporary MCP (Main Command Post) at Brgy Tubigagmanok, Asturias in order to address the growing threat at western side of mid-northern Cebu. In May 2005, the unit established HQ   at Brgy Nangka, Balamban after its planned redeployment to Panay Island did not push through. The troops also prepared in August 2005, for strike mission in Bohol to fill-in the vacuum left by 1SRB, however, the plan did not materialize. Instead, only one (1) company (Bravo) was brought in Bohol sometime September 2005. Bravo Company rejoined the Battalion in March 2006, after a successful stint in Bilar, Bohol.   

On 17 May 2007, Alpha Company left Cebu island for its scheduled Company Sustainment Training at 3DTU Camp Macario Peralta Jr, Jamindan, Capiz. After culmination of the said training sometime on the second week of July 2007, the troops returned back to Cebu and reoccupied their former command post in Brgy Dungguan, Danao City, Cebu. The significant development on insurgency situation in Bohol island forced Alpha Company of 78IB to reinforce 302 Bde to intensify ISO in Bohol. That was when the 15IB was relieved in – place by 79IB for the purpose of its retraining at H3ID, PA. On 04 August 2007, Alpha Company redeployed in Bohol and placed OPCON to 302Bde.

On 10 January 2008, Alpha Coy returned to Cebu and reoccupied its former AOR covering the towns of Carmen, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion and Danao City all of Cebu. 1^st Quarter of 2008, our unit was slated to be deployed in Panay Island however the provincial government of Cebu intervened and we were retained in the island. The unit was further placed OPCON to 802Bde, 8ID, PA and designated as holding force in Cebu. On the other hand, Alpha Coy of this unit was pulled-out from Cebu on the last week of April and placed OPCON to 301^st Bde for ISO campaign in Panay Island.

The tension perpetrated by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao, due to the issue on “Ancestral Domain” being claimed by the Muslims in the Southern Philippines, and the conduct of election for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on the month of August 2008, prompted the CENTCOM and PNP to deploy Army and PNP units in Mindanao to help pacify the conflict in the area. The RMG-7 formerly based in the Southern Cebu was among the contingency forces being deployed to Mindanao. In this situation, the Central Command initiated a move to reconstitute its forces in the Visayas Region in order to fill-in the gap created by the pull-out of Army and PNP units.

On 26 August 2008, Bravo Coy was redeployed from its former location at Brgy Pansoy, Sogod, Cebu (Mid-North) to Brgy Mantalongon, Barili, Cebu (Mid-South) and assumed Southern Cebu as Area of Operation. Likewise, Alpha Coy was pulled-out in Panay Island last 30 August 2008 and reoccupied its former AOR including the area vacated by Bravo Coy, from Consolacion up to Daan Bantayan in the Far-North, Cebu.

On the 2^nd quarter of 2008, Cebu was assumed by 8ID from the 3ID in terms of delineation of AOR and subsequently placed the unit under operational control of the 802^nd Brigade, 8ID, PA.  

On 01 April, 2009, 78^th Infantry (Warrior) Battalion was absorbed by the 8^th Infantry (Storm Troopers) Division, Philippine Army, pursuant to GO Nr 226, HPA dated 14 April 2009. Presently, the unit is intensifying ISO in support to Cebu Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) to deny enemy resurgence and reactivation efforts.

On 10 March 2010, the unit facilitated the hand-over of the ISO responsibility of Cebu province to Cebu Provincial Peace and order council declaring the Cebu province as insurgency free province.

On 20 February 2011, the Charlie Company of 78^th Infantry (WARRIOR) Battalion, left Cebu province and subsequently operational control to 19IB. The company had temporarily stationed in Brgy Abuyogon, Burauen, Leyte. Another composite company from Alpha, Bravo and Headquarters companies of this unit was sent to Leyte island to composed the one Battalion reduced size troops in Leyte that based at Brgy Antipolo, Albuera.

On 29 September 2011, this unit facilitated the declaration of Southern Leyte was declared as insurgency free province. in the same year, Leyte was also declared as manageable conflict and development ready province last  08 December.

On 16 June 2012, the unit totally moved from Cebu to its new AOR in province of Leyte and Southern Leyte.  

On 03 September 2012, Lt Col ADONIS R BAJAO (GSC) INF PA, assumed as the 15^th Commander of this unit. His stint for a year, marked the fast growing development of the Battalion station in both military and economic development. The previous dilapidated buildings were transformed into a decent dwelling of the soldiers. Meanwhile, the spring from the hills of Burauen was made into a tourist destination of the waray tribes in eastern Leyte.

On 08 November 2013, the landfall of Typhoon Yolanda ruined the eastern Visayas Region that crippled the local populace and killed thousands of Leyteños. This super typhoon was likewise victimizing the unit including the subordinate units. However, the troops were performing their mandated task in serving the people and securing the land. Preemptive evacuations and Relief operation were executed before and after the typhoon. 

Note:

References:

a. Rad msg from Comdr, 3ID, PA Cnr 3D3-Orgn-1604-785-2009.

            b. GO Nr 226, HPA dated 14 April 09

Unit assignment of the following Infantry Battalions:

1. 78^th Infantry (Warrior) Battalion, 3^rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division, Philippine Army was transferred to 8^th Infantry (Storm Troopers) Division, Philippine Army effective 01 April 2009.
2. 62^nd Infantry Battalion, 8^th Infantry (Storm Troopers) Division, Philippine Army was transferred to 3^rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division, Philippine Army eff 01 Apr 09.

Sunday, January 01, 2017