The Eastern Mindanao Command also known as EastMinCom was founded on 28 August 2006. It is one of the unified commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The AFP forces
in Mindanao were formerly under a single area command, the Southern Command.
General Headquarters assessed that SOUTHCOM’s command and control is reduced
due to the very large area of operations, wide span of control and complexity
of threats. As such, the AFP divided SOUTHCOM into two area commands, the
Western Mindanao Command and Eastern Mindanao Command. The Eastern Mindanao
Command (EastMinCom), Armed Forces of the Philippines was activated on August
28, 2006 pursuant to section II, General Orders Number 1035, General Headquarters,
Armed forces of the Philippines dated August 23, 2006 with MGen. Rodolfo S.
Obaniana AFP.
Eastern Mindanao
Command was envisioned to be Mindanao’s partner in nation building; a dynamic,
capable and responsive organization that is committed and ready to fulfill its
mandate in meeting the challenges and breaking the barriers to peace, progress
and development in the region.
During its
activation, the Command was given the responsibility over South Eastern
Mindanao, Central and Northern Mindanao with the mission of conducting joint
operations against all national security threats in the area in order to
establish a physically and psychologically secure environment conductive to
development and assist government agencies in their socio-economic, ecological
and developmental activities.
In the
performance of its mandate, the Command has three (3) component units: the
Army, Air Force, and Navy that are strategically deployed in Eastern Mindanao.
Originally, the
command has three Army Infantry Divisions: the 4th Infantry Division
stationed at Camp Evangelista, Brgy. Patag, Cagayan de Oro City; 6th
Infantry Division in Brgy. Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao; and 10th
Infantry Division situated in Tuburan, Mawab, Compostela Valley Province. Also under
it is the 52nd Engineer Brigade which is based in Manolo Fortich,
Bukidnon, providing engineer support to the Command.
To secure the
territorial waters, Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao, located in Panacan, Davao
City, was also placed OPCOM to the command as its Naval component while three
Tactical Operations Group of the Philippine Air Force was placed on OPCON to
the Command to provide air capability in pursuit of the mission.
To focus against
threats being posed by NPAs, the Command release control over 6th Infantry
Division and its AOR on 2012 except the eastern part of Cotabato and the
Municipality of Columbio, Sultan Kudarat.
History Highlights
Maguindanao Martial Law
Administrator
After
the infamous Maguindanao Massacre on November 23, 2009, EMC was tasked by then
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to implement Martial Law in the Province of
Maguindanao and restore normalcy in the area. Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, then
con current Commander was designated as Administrator, the Command was able to
destroy Private Armed Group of the Ampatuans and arrested suspected perpetrators
and restored normalcy after three months of Martial Law.
Ensuring Peaceful 2010 Elections
With
the implementation of the automated elections on May 10, 2010, Eastern Mindanao
Command proved its mettle and non-partisanship when the conduct of election in
its AOR was peaceful.
Arresting restlessness in Central
Mindanao
After declaration of MOA-AD an unconstitutional
by the Supreme Court on October 14, 2008, violence escalated in Central
Mindanao which prompted the Command to realign and redeploy forces to normalize
the situation.
Tambayayong
The Eastern
Mindanao was in the forefront of HADR when Super typhoon Pablo hit the Eastern
most part of the area of responsibility mobilizing different units – the Air;
Naval, and Ground Components. Designated by President Aquino to be the lead
agency in Search and Operation, the Eastern Mindanao took control of different
volunteers from different organizations making it organized and systematic. During
rehabilitation, EMC organized Task Force Tambayayong to assist different LGUs
and NGAs in building the communities better. Typhoon Yolanda likewise brought
EMC’s Tambayayong II to assists the government in rehabilitation effort in
Eastern Visayas.
Panagdait Mindanao: EMC’s
Bayanihan
With the
implementation of the IPSP Bayanihan, Eastern Mindanao Command reformatted its
campaign and shifted its paradigm in the pursuit of winning the peace in its
AOR. The massive deployment of Peace and Development Teams or the Bayanihan
Teams in its Area of Operation turned the situation into better resulting to
the handover of counter-insurgency lead role to the different Provincial
Governments.
