MANILA, Philippines - A premier unit against terrorist threats will soon be installed in the military following the Philippine forces' experience in the 21-day Zamboanga siege by rebels.
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Thursday that the funding for the expansion of the Light Regiment Battalion will be sourced from the earmarked budget for the militaryf's modernization program.
Gazmin admitted that the military was caught off guard when Chairman Nur Misuari's faction of the Moro National Liberation Front attempted to seize the Mindanao city last September.
"We were sort of unprepared to meet that kind of threat in an urban setting, so we need a bigger unit to address this," Gazmin said.
"We lacked personnel and we were forced to deploy the Rangers, Special Forces to augment the 'Light Reaction Battalion' during the Zamboanga City crisis," he added.
The new regiment, formed by an additional three companies, will be deployed to deal with threats posed by Abu Sayyaf thugs.
Gazmin said a fourth company will be added to the unit this year and further reinforced with two more companies before 2015.
DND: Special counter-terrorism unit ready to be funded
A group of soldiers arrive in Zamboanga City, which separatist rebels attacked in September 2013. Philstar file