ILOILO CITY – Lt. Col. Arturo Balgos Jr. has been appointed commander of the Army 61st Infantry Battalion (IB) based in Miag-ao town, Iloilo province.
LT. Col. Arturo Balgos Jr. is the newly installed chief of the 61st Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army. (Army 61 IB)
Balgos replaced Lt. Col. Harold Garcia.
The turnover ceremony was presided over by Major Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd Infantry Division (ID) commander, in a ceremony at the 61st IB headquarters in Camp Monteclaro.
Balgos heads the Army in southern Iloilo as well as the neighboring province of Antique.
Sison urged 61st IB troops to back Balgos as the commander in ensuring peace and order while continuing to guard against the threats posed by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed group the New People’s Army (NPA).
In his assumption speech, Balgos assured he will continue Garcia’s programs in managing troops.
Balgos also said he will strengthen operations against the CPP-NPA.
Sporadic encounters have occurred government troops and NPA rebels in southern Iloilo province and Antique in the past years.