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Light Reaction Battalion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Armed Forces of the Philippines Light Reaction Battalion is the lead counter-terrorist unit of the Philippine Army. It was formerly known as the Light Reaction Company.
| Light Reaction Battalion | |
|---|---|
| Active | 2001 - Present |
| Country | Philippines |
| Branch | Philippine Army |
| Type | Direct Action, Counter-Terrorism Reconnaissance, Unconventional Warfare |
| Size | Possibly classified |
| Part of | Philippine Army Special Operations Command (PASOC) |
| Nickname | LRB Light Reaction Company or LRC (Former) |
| Battles/wars | Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines Anti-guerilla operations against the NPA and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lt. Col. Danilo Pamonag |
Contents |
A U.S. Special Forces (SF) unit trained and equipped a Philippine Light Reaction Company (LRC) drawn from the ranks of the Philippine Army's Special Forces and Scout Ranger organisations. From February to July 2001, while the LRC was being trained, the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped three more U.S. citizens. One key issue the LRC training identified was that, while the Philippines government could develop a tactically proficient Counter-Terrorism force, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) did not have a command-and-control structure to properly employ the LRC or to integrate it with the other armed forces and current operations.
Two days after completing training, the LRC deployed to the island of Basilan in the southern Philippine province of Mindanao in response to the ASG hostage crisis. However, the LRC deployed as a conventional unit, not as a national-level Counter-Terrorist force. Before the LRC deployed, American SF advisers had requested that they accompany the unit, but SOCPAC approved only a follow-on assessment mission and took no action until the tragedy of 11 September 2001.
A former company commander of the LRC, 1st Lt. Lawrence San Juan, is among those officers who escaped from their detention in connection with their involvement in destabilisation plot against the government. A shoot-to-kill order against the fugitives has reportedly been issued by the Commander of Northern Command of the AFP, Major-General Romeo Tolentino.
The group has been given its current name from the former Light Reaction Company, following an increase in men in recent years so as to pursue Anti-Terrorist duties in the Philippines.