The commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division, Maj. Gen. Marion R. Sison, has ordered the newly-installed commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade in Negros Occidental to eliminate the remaining members of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG).
Sison presided over the Change of Command Ceremony held at Camp Maj. Nelson L. Gerona in Murcia, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, November 5.
During the ceremony, BGen. Ted Dumosmog assumed command of the 303rd Brigade from BGen. Orlando Edralin, who is retiring from military service effective November 8 after reaching the mandatory retirement age and more than 37 years of service in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, a press release from the Army said.
“The first order of the day for you is to find, fix, and finish the remnants of the KR-NCBS. Nothing more, nothing less,” Sison told Dumosmog.
Sison also commended Edralin for his leadership, noting the 303rd Brigade’s successful completion of 10 major engagements, solidifying its reputation as the “Fightingest Brigade” of the Philippine Army last year.
“This was no easy feat, and I would like to commend our outgoing Commander, Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, for his remarkable achievements,” Sison said, while challenging Dumosmog to continue the fight.
Sison also urged all personnel of the 303rd Brigade to extend the same support to Dumosmog that they had given to their previous commander.
“Our fight is not yet over, so let us not relax. Let us not give the Communist Terrorist Group the chance to resurge,” Sison said.
“We are confronting a thinking enemy. It will not have lasted for five decades if our enemy did not think. Let us not give them a chance to breathe. Let us not give them any space. Let us not give them the time to rise up. We are almost there and we are 95 percent victorious, only 5 percent left. Let us finish them,” he said.
Dumosmog admitted that a daunting task lay ahead, but he was ready to take on the challenge.
“ With the help of the dedicated and motivated officers and NCOs of the Brigade, I have no doubt that we will accomplish our mission. As we all know, Negros Island region has been declared as Stable Internal Peace and Security, indeed peace in our midst is in our hands and the 303rd Brigade contributed a fair share to this triumph,” he said.
Dumosmog is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy “Sambisig” Class of 1991.
He is no stranger to the 3ID, having once served as a platoon leader of the 47th Infantry Battalion from Oct. 7, 1991 to Jan. 31, 1992.
Prior to his present designation, he was the Assistant Division Commander for Reservist and Retiree Affairs of the 4th Infantry Division.*