8th Infantry Division (Philippines)


The 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, known officially as the Storm Trooper Division, is one of the Philippine Army's Infantry units in the Visayas and under the AFP Central Command, combating local communist insurgent units, and terrorists.

History

The division was established on August 1, 1988, with headquarters at Camp General Vicente Lukban, Catbalogan, Samar. The local government soldiers and officers under the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army was sending the combat operations in the Visayas region and the engagements of the Anti-Communist Operations and helping aided and supported of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and the CAFGU militia forces against the communist rebels of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army and other local criminal elements.
During the Operation Enduring Freedom in the Philippines under the war on terrorism and the Islamic Insurgency in Mindanao, Southern Philippines. The local government troops of the Philippine Army 8th Infantry "Storm Trooper" Division was sending the clearing combat operations in Mindanao on Southern Philippines and the engagements of the Anti-Islamic and Counter-Terrorism operations and helping aided and supporting of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, the CAFGU militia forces and the U.S. Armed Forces to fought against the Islamic rebels and bandits of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front and Abu Sayyaf Group and other local criminal elements.

Mission

The 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army often conducts Internal Security Operations in their Area of Responsibility to dismantle and destroy the remaining guerrilla fronts of the Local Communist Movement in order to attain peace and stability conducive to sustainable development in assisting the Philippine government in its socio-economic development projects; and assists the Philippine National Police curb criminality in the Visayas Region.

Lineage of Commanding Officers

  • BGen. Isagani T. Delos Santos, PA –
  • BGen. Federico E. Ruiz Jr., PA –
  • BGen. Romulo F. Yap, PA –
  • BGen. Ruperto A. Ambil, PA –
  • BGen. Danilo P. Olay, PA –
  • BGen. Romeo B. Tarrayo, PA –
  • MGen. Arturo B. Carrillo, PA –
  • MGen. Rufo A. De Veyra, PA –
  • MGen. Romeo B. Dominguez, PA –
  • MGen. Glenn J. Rabonza, PA –
  • BGen. Bonifacio B. Ramos, PA –
  • MGen. Jovito S. Palparan Jr., PA –
  • MGen. Bonifacio B. Ramos, PA –
  • BGen. Randy S. Dauz, PA –
  • MGen. Rodrigo F. Maclang, PA –
  • MGen. Armando L. Cunanan, PA –
  • BGen. Allan Ragpala, PA –
  • BGen. Arthur I. Tabaquero, PA –
  • MGen. Mario F. Chan, PA –
  • MGen. Gerardo T. Layug, PA –
  • MGen. Jet B. Velarmino, PA –
  • MGen. Raul M. Farnacio, PA –
  • MGen. Pio Q. Diñoso III, PA – BGen. Wilbur C. Mamawag, PA –
  • MGen. Edgardo Y. De Leon, PA – BGen. Zosimo A. Oliveros, PA –
  • MGen. Camilo Z. Ligayo, PA – ''''''''''

Current Units

The following are the Brigades under the 8th Infantry Division:
The following are the Battalions under the 8th Infantry Division:
  • 14th Infantry (Avenger) Battalion
  • 19th Infantry (Commando) Battalion
  • 20th Infantry (We Lead) Battalion
  • 31st Infantry (Charge) Battalion
  • 34th Infantry (Reliable) Battalion
  • 43rd Infantry (We Search) Battalion
  • 46th Infantry (Peace Makers) Battalion
  • 52nd Infantry (Catch 'Em) Battalion
  • 63rd Infantry (Innovator) Battalion
  • 78th Infantry (Warrior) Battalion
  • 87th Infantry (Hinirang) Battalion
  • 93rd Infantry (Bantay Kapayapaan) Battalion
The following are the Support Units under the 8th Infantry Division:

Operations

Incidents

Killing of Leonard Co, Sofronio Cortez, and Julius Borromeo

On November 15, 2010, Botanist Leonard Co, forester Sofronio Cortez, and farmer Julius Borromeo, were working on a biodiversity project under the auspices of the Energy Development Corporation when they were killed in an incident involving nine members of the 19th Infantry Battalion in the forests of Kananga, Leyte. Co, who was considered the foremost authority in ethnobotany in the Philippines at the time of his death, was examining a tree when the shooting began, while Cortez and Borromeo were helping him.
Members of the 19IB, a unit under the 8ID, claimed that Co's group had been caught in the crossfire in a fight between their unit and the New People's Army, but this claim was challenged by numerous investigating groups, including the Philippine National Police and the Philippines' Commission on Human Rights. The Department of Justice eventually filed charges against the soldiers involved, and the case is currently in the courts.

External Entrusion

Philippine Army Reserve Command - all graduates of the Citizen Army Training and the Reserve Officer Training Corps are mandated to merge to as National Defense in case of a National Entrusion.