41st Infantry(Partner for Peace) Battalion

HISTORY OF THE 41ST INFANTRY BATTALION

THE 41ST INFANTRY BATTALION WAS ACTIVATED BY VIRTUE OF GENERAL ORDERS # 345, HEADQUARTERS, PHILIPPINE ARMY DATED 17 FEBRUARY 1975. IT WAS FIRST COMMANDED BY THEN LTC ARTURO T ENRILE (WHO LATER BECAME AFP CHIEF OF STAFF) UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE ARMY’S 1ST INFANTRY (TABAK) DIVISION BASED AT FORT RAMON MAGSAYSAY, NUEVA, ECIJA. THE BATTALION WAS CREATED IN RESPONSE TO THE ARMY’S URGENT NEED FOR A CREDIBLE FIGHTING UNIT TO STEM THE TIDES OF MUSLIM SECCESIONISM IN THE SOUTH.

SHORTLY AFTER THE UNIT WAS ORGANIZED, IT WAS IMMEDIATELY DEPLOYED TO MINDANAO AND WAS PLACED ORGANIC TO THE 4TH INFANTRY (DIAMOND) DIVISION. IT RECEIVED ITS BAPTISM OF FIRES AS A COMBAT MANEUVER BATTALION WHILE FIGHTING THE MNLF REBELS IN THE JUNGLES AND MOUNTAINS OF MINDANAO. IT FURTHER DISTINGUISHED ITSELF IN MAJOR CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES SECESSIONIST MOVEMENT IN THE PROVINCES OF ZAMBOANGA AND BASILAN UNTIL 1981. ON THAT SAME YEAR, THE BATTALION WAS UNFILLED AND REORGANIZED AS A UNIT OF THE ELITE FIRST SCOUT RANGER REGIMENT, GIVING BIRTH TO THE FIRST SCOUT RANGER BATTALION UNDER THEN COLONEL JULIUS JAVIER. AS A RANGER UNIT, THE BATTALION RETAINED ITS FIGHTING PROWESS AND CONSISTENTLY EARNED THE ADMIRATION OF BOTH FRIENDS AND FOES ALIKE.

ON 11 OCTOBER 1983, PURSUANT TO GENERAL ORDERS # 590, HEADQUARTERS PHILIPPINE ARMY DATED 05 OCTOBER 1983, ANOTHER GROUP OF SELECT FILIPINO PATRIOTS WERE ORGANIZED TO COMPOSE THE NEWLY REFILLED 41ST INFANTRY BATTALION OF THE 5TH INFANTRY (STAR) DIVISION, THEN BASED AT CAMP GEN SERVILLANO AQUINO, TARLAC. IT WAS TASKED TO CONDUCT COUNTER INSURGENCY CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE NEW PEOPLE’S ARMY IN THE PROVINCES OF KALINGA, APAYAO, ISABELA, CAGAYAN AND NOW, IN ABRA. IT DOMINATED THE BATTLEFIELD WITH ITS SPECIALIZED COMBAT AND NON-COMBAT SKILLS THAT CURBED THE GROWING INFLUENCE OF THE COMMUNIST TERRORIST. THE 41ST INFANTRY BATTALION SELFLESSLY CONTRIBUTED ITS SHARE OF DEDICATED SERVICE IN ALL WEATHER AND TERRAIN THAT HELPED THE 5ID ACHIEVED STRATEGIC VICTORY OVER NORTHERN LUZON. NOTABLE AMONG THE MANY GLORIOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE BRAVE MEN OF THE BATTALION WAS THE SOCIAL INTEGRATION OF THE CORDILLERA PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY HEADED BY THE LATE FR. CONRADO BALWEG IN 1986, AND THE UNIT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE LIBERATION OF MARAG VALLEY FROM CT INFLUENCE DURING THE 90’S.

IN RECOGNITION OF ITS NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE FIELD OF ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS, THE 41IB WAS ADJUDGED SUCCESSIVELY AS THE “BEST MANUEVER BATTALION” FROM AMONG THE SEVENTY-ONE (71) TACTICAL BATTALIONS OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY FROM 1984 TO 1985, 2ND BEST BATTALION OF THE 5TH INFANTRY DIVISION FOR CY 1995, ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING ARMY BATTALIONS AND RECIPIENT OF THE COMMANDING GENERAL, PHILIPPINE ARMY STREAMER WITH PLAQUE OF MERIT IN 1998, TWICE AWARDED AS THE “BEST MANEUVER BATTALION” AND “BEST IN ADMINISTRATION” OUT OF THE NINE (9) TACTICAL BATTALIONS OF THE 5TH INFANTRY DIVISION IN 1998 AND 2000, 2ND BEST INFANTRY BATTALION OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY VYING FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL STREAMER AWARD FROM 1998 TO 1999. FOR THE CY 2005, THE 41IB WAS RATED HIGHEST IN ALL FIELDS AFTER THE ANNUAL GENERAL INSPECTION CONDUCTED BY THE 5TH INFANTRY DIVISION, PHILIPPINE ARMY.


THE CT INFLUENCE IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CORDILLERAS IN THE EARLY 2000’S REQUIRED A FIGHTINGEST MANUEVER BATTALION THUS, THE 41IB WAS REDEPLOYED FROM KALINGA TO ABRA IN 2003 REPLACING THE 17IB. FROM THEN ON NOW, IT HAS CONTINOUSLY RENDERING DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF NORTHERN LUZON, ABRA, IN PARTICULAR AND, THE UNIT HAS NOT FAILED IN ACCOMPLISHING ITS VARIOUS TASKS OF NATION-BUILDING IN THE PROVINCE OF ABRA. THE BATTALION NOW FOCUSES ON RELENTLESS COMBAT OPERATIONS, COUPLED WITH AN EFFECTIVE CIVIL-MILITARY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS AIMED AT ESTABLISHING A PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO LOCAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROGRESS. LIKEWISE, INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION AND COOPERATION HAD ALWAYS BEEN STRESSED DURING THE CONDUCT OF MPOC MEETINGS, DIALOGUES TO MULTI-SECTORAL GROUPS, AND ANTI-INSURGENCY SYMPOSIUMS AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. IN FACT, THROUGH ITS RELENTLESS EFFORTS, THE BATTALION WAS ABLE TO OVERRUN SEVERAL CT ENCAMPMENTS WITHIN ITS AREA OF OPERATION. SIGNIFICANT AMONG THESE WAS THE CAPTURE OF THE ABRA PROVINCIAL PARTY COMMITTEE MAIN CAMP AT PACOC-TALAMPAC, LACUB, ABRA LAST APRIL 2007 UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF THEN LTC BAUTISTA.

THE GLORIOUS REPUTATION OF THE BATTALION WAS SMEARED DURING THE MAY 2007 ELECTIONS BY FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF POLITICAL PARTISANSHIP AND ALLEGED HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. HOWEVER, THE ALLEGATIONS WERE PROVEN WRONG, AND THE UNIT REMAINED STEADFAST AND FOCUSED TO ITS INTERNAL SECURITY ROLE WHILE BEING NON-PARTISAN AT ALL TIMES.

TO FURTHER ENHANCE ITS FIGHTING CAPABILITY, THE UNIT WAS PULLED OUT FROM ITS AREA OF OPERATION IN ABRA PROVINCE AND UNDERWENT THE BATTALION RETRAINING PROGRAM ON 27 MARCH 2008. THE UNIT, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF LTC RAUL V BAUTISTA, WENT THROUGH A RIGOROUS BUT INVALUABLE TRAINING AT 5TH DIVISION TRAINING UNIT FROM 02 APRIL 2008 TO 17 JUNE 2008. DURING THE COURSE OF THE TRAINING, LTC IGNACIO B MADRIAGA ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE UNIT EFFECTIVE 16 APRIL 2008. THE UNIT COMPLETED THE RETRAINING WITH A VERY COMMENDABLE PERFORMANCE PER EVALUATION REPORT BY HEADQUARTERS, PHILIPPINE ARMY THROUGH THEIR MOBILE TRAINING TEAM. UPON REDEPLOYMENT TO ITS FORMER AO, THE 41IB WAS HEAVILY ENMESHED WITH THE MASS BASE OPERATIONS (MBO) IT ITS AO FOR AREA CLEARING OF THE REMAINING CT INFLUENCED AREAS. THE SOBER COMMITMENT IN ADDRESSING PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT AND REMARKABLE PEACE INITIATIVES RESULTED TO THE VOLUNTARILY SURRENDERED OF TWELVE ARMED ELEMENTS OF CT’S IN THE AO OF 41IB. NOTABLE DURING THIS PERIOD WAS THE 2010 NATIONAL ELECTION WHERE ELECTION-RELATED VIOLENCE WAS BROUGHT TO A MINIMUM WITH THE EMPLOYMENT OF 41IB IN ALL ELECTION HOTSPOT AREAS WITHIN AO.

ON 01 JULY 2010, LTC IGNACIO B MADRIAGA INF (GSC) PA RELIGUISHED COMMAND OF THE 41IB TO LTC NOEL T BALUYAN (GSC) INF PA IN A SIMPLE BUT MEANINGFUL CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY AT THE 503RD INFANTRY BRIGADE HQ AT LAGANGILANG, ABRA.

THE 41IB, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF LTC BALUYAN CONTINUED TO PERFORM ITS VARIOUS TASKS OF SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT WITH MORE VIGOR. AS A CATALYST OF CHANGE AND A FACILITATOR, THE UNIT SAW A MORE ENHANCED ENGAGEMENT OF THE VARIOUS LCE’S, LGU’S, NGO’S, GO’S AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO PEACE, SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT. INTER-AGENCY OUTREACH PROGRAM BECAME THE BUZZWORD AND VEHICLE OF THE LOCAL GOVERMENTS IN BRINGING THE NEEDED BASIC SOCIAL SERVICES TO THE LOWLY COMMUNITIES IN THE UPLAND MUNICIPALITIES. ON ENVIRONMENT POROTECTION, THE 41IB WAS AMONG THE SELECT GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS WHICH WAS AWARDED THE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION BY THE REGIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DENR-CAR FOR BEING NOMINATED TO THE 2011 SEARCH FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNER.

AT THE SAME TIME, MAINTAINING THE UPPER HAND IN TRACKING DOWN THE CT ARMED ELEMENTS WAS GIVEN EQUAL ATTENTION. ON THREAT REDUCTION, FOR CY 2011 ALONE, SIXTEEN CT’S VOLUNTARILY SURRENDERED TO THE 41IB, THREE OF WHOM WITH FIREARMS. MOREOVER, ON THAT FATEFUL DAY-10 OCTOBER 2011-THE 41IB AGAIN DEMONSTRATED ITS GALLANTRY OF ACTION AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY WHEN IT ENGAGED MORE OR LESS 35 FULLY ARMED CT ELEMENTS IN A DECISIVE VICTORY AT BRGY CAGANAYAN, TINEG, ABRA. IN SUCH DECISIVE VICTORY, EIGHT ENEMY KILLED (BODY COUNTS), ONE ENEMY WOUNDED (APPREHENDED) AND RECOVERY OF NINE HIGH POWERED FIRE ARMS WITH ONLY GOVERNMENT CASUALTY (KIA). THIS WAS SUCH A BIG BLOW ON THE SIDE OF THE ENEMY SINCE, AMONG THE FATALITIES TWO WERE HIGH-RANKING OFFICIALS (NPA COMMANDER AND SECRETARY). NO LESS THAN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CNN BRANDED SUCH INCIDENT AS THE TINEG8 IN THEIR WEBSITE BEING THAT SAID INCIDENT WAS UNPRECEDENTED IN THE INSURGENCY HISTORY OF ABRA.

ANOTHER WORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE 41IB WHICH ADDED FEATHER TO ITS LAURELS WAS THE “AWARD OF MERIT” FROM NO LESS THAN THE COMMANDING GENERAL, PA (LTGEN EMMANUEL BAUTISTA) FOR BEING ADJUDGED AS THE 5ID’S BEST MANUEVER BATTALION DURING THE CONDUCT OF HPA ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF FIELD UNITS FOR CY 2011.

FROM THEN ON, THE UNIT NOT RESTING ON ITS LAURELS AS THE FIGHTINGEST BATTALION WILL REMAIN STEADFAST AND DEDICATED IN SERVING THE PEOPLE AND SECURING THE LAND. THE 41ST INFANTRY BATTALION WILL REMAIN RESOLUTE IN ITS AVOWED OBLIGATION WHILE ADHERING TO ITS MOTTO THAT HAS SHOWN THE TRUE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF A 41IB TROOPER–THAT OF BEING YOUR “PARTNERS FOR PEACE”.