Soldiers brace for Bulusan

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay: The Philippine Army in the Bicol Region deployed more troops and military vehicles to Sorsogon province as a response to possible threats from

Mount Bulusan, which has erupted a number of times since early last month. Army Col. Art Ang, the newly installed commanding officer of the Army’s 901st Infantry Brigade, on Tuesday told The Manila Times that the additional soldiers numbering more than 100 augmented those with the 903rd Infantry Brigade and 49th Infantry Battalion at present.

Despite the Bulusan watch, Ang said that they would continue their combat operations against communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Bicol.

He ruled out possible truce between the NPA and the military, citing attacks by the rebels on government troops in Sorsogon, an identified guerrilla lair.

Earlier, Maj. Gen. Ruperto Pabustan, the commanding general of the Army’s Ninth Infantry Division, ordered his men to lead in responding to emergencies that may be brought about by possible threats from the volcano.

Aside from deployment of soldiers from other military units in the region to Sorsogon, Pabustan also instructed the 903rd Infantry Brigade and the 49th Infantry Battalion to oversee possible evacuations of villagers living near the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone.

On Sunday morning, Mount Bulusan spewed ashes that rocketed 2km from the crater rim and drifted toward the towns of Juban and Irosin.

Alert Level 1 remains in effect over the volcano, one of two active ones in the Bicol Region, the other being Mount Mayon in neighboring Albay province.

Bulusan began acting up on November 6.

RHAYDZ BARCIA