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9nd Infantry Battalion
"Sandigan"

The 9th Infantry Battalion, "Sandigan," was activated when the Philippine Army implemented the Kamagong Concept in the 1970's as part of the response to the crises in Mindanao. The unit was organized pursuant to General Orders Number 279, Headquarters, Philippine Army, dated 15 May 1973. It was formally activated on 1 January 1974 at Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City. The unit was created from a core of personnel taken from units within the 4th Infantry Division and was assigned to that unit on 1 April 1974, pursuant to General Orders Number 449, Headquarters, Philippine Army, 30 March 1974.

When the unit was activated it was organized differently from the standard Table of Order and Equipment for the infantry battalion at the time. The unit contained 2 additional organic companies, D and E Companies. These operated independantly of the rest of the Battalion. While E Company was simply an additional infantry company, D Company was a waterborne infantry company. This added a flexibility to the unit and to the entire Battalion.

The unit's initial focus was in an area of rseponsibility aroiund Zamboanga City. In March 1975, however, it was deployed for combat operations in Basilan. Between April and July 1975 the unit participated in combat operations in Jolo. During its deployments, its AOR was given to the 4th Battalion Landing Team of the Philippine Marine Corps. In 1975 the unit's operations led to the return of government control to the municipality of Sibuco, Zamboanga del Sur and the capture of an MNLF general headquarters based in Panganuran, Zamboanga del Sur. Between 1975 and 1978 the unit also participated in the return of government control to various areas of Jolo and Basilan. After completing operations in Jolo, it returned to its AOR and immediately launched various battalion operations in the municipality of Dimataling, Zamboanga del Sur and areas in Litawan and Anongan Complex, all in Zamboanga del Norte. There the Battalion conducted a series of search and screening operations in the Zamboanga City complex in 1977, recovering weapons, ammunition and apprehending several terrorists.

In November 1978, the unit moved its Battalion headquarters to Campo Uno, Lamitan, Basilan Province with line companies deployed at vital and strategic areas in Lamitan and Tuboran municipalities. In 1979, the unit conducted a series of combat operations in the municipality of Lamitan, Tipo-Tipo and in Tuboran, both in Basilan province, that resulted in the recovery of large number of weapons.

In early 1981, due to man power strains, D and E Companies were inactivated. On 01 June 1981, after 8 years of deployment in combat areas, the battalion was redeployed to Cagayan de Oro City for retraining. After retraining on 20 August 1981, due to the worsening situatuin in Misamis Occidental, the battalion was deployed at Bagakay, Ozamis City. In 19 January 1983, Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Somera, the commanding officer of the 9th Infantry Battalion, was ambushed on the way to conduct a joint civic/dialogue in Sapang Dalaga, Misamis Occidental. The attack claimed the lives of 6 other Philippine Military personnel and that of Sapang Dalaga Mayor Rene Yap. While in Misamis Occidental, the unit conducted a series of combat operations that resulted in the recovery of weapons, ammunition, and equipment.

Between 1985 and 1986, the unit conducted 20 battalion sized operations, 5 company sized operations, 137 platoon sized operations, 385 small unit patrols, 110 ambushes, 75 strike missions and participated in Brigade and Task Force Cobra operations. All these operations resulted in the recovery of numerous weapons, ammunition, equipment, and documents.