The 403rd Infantry Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, known officially as the Peacemaker Brigade, is one of the

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. ...

s of the

Philippine Army The Philippine Army (PA) (Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the A ...

which is organic to its 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division. It is an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and m ...

unit, and specializes in anti-guerrilla warfare.

History

The 403rd Infantry (PEACEMAKER) Brigade traces its roots to the 3rd Infantry Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division, otherwise known as the 3/4th Brigade, being the forerunner of the unit, when it was organized on 15 July 1973 pursuant to General Order Nr 41 Headquarters Philippine Army dated 3 July 1973. Since then, it facilitates the command and control of the newly organized Infantry Battalions as called for by the ever growing Muslim secessionist movement in the 4ID AOR. The Brigade was operationally organized and deployed on 15 September 1973 with its first headquarters at

Pagadian City Pagadian, officially the City of Pagadian ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Pagadian; fil, Lungsod ng Pagadian; Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Pagadian'', Jawi: كوتا نو ڤاڬاديان; Iranun: ''Bandar a Pagadian'', بندر ا ڤاڬاديان; Chavacano: ...

under its first Brigade Commander, Colonel Oscar Aleonar, who was also then the Assistant Division Commander of the 4th Infantry Division. Its operating battalions then were 28IB, 9IB and 16IB, all operating in the areas of

Zamboanga del Norte Zamboanga del Norte ( Cebuano: ''Amihanang Zamboanga''; Subanon: ''Utara Sembwangan''; tl, Hilagang Zamboanga), officially the Province of Zamboanga del Norte, is a province in the Philippines situated within the Zamboanga Peninsula region in M ...

particularly in the municipalities of Siraway and

Siocon Siocon, officially the Municipality of Siocon ( ceb, Lungsod sa Siocan; Subanen: ''Benwa Siocan''; Chavacano: ''Municipalidad de Siocan''; tl, Bayan ng Siocan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. Acc ...

. Eventually, it was redeployed in the other areas of north eastern

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of t ...

Mission

The 403rd Infantry (Peacemaker) Brigade conducts Internal Security Operations (ISO) in the assigned area of responsibility (AOR) of the 4th Infantry Division in

Camiguin Camiguin, officially the Province of Camiguin ( ceb, Probinsya sa Camiguin; tl, Lalawigan ng Camiguin; Kamigin: ''Probinsya ta Kamigin''), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about off the northern coast of Min ...

Bukidnon Bukidnon(), officially the Province of Bukidnon ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Bukidnon; fil, Lalawigan ng Bukidnon; hil, Kapuroan sang Bukidnon; Binukid and Higaonon: ''Probinsya ta Bukidnon''), is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the ...

and

Misamis Oriental Misamis Oriental ( ceb, Sidlakang Misamis; tl, Silangang Misamis), officially the Province of Misamis Oriental, is a province located in the region of Northern Mindanao in the Philippines. Its capital, largest city and provincial center is th ...

Provinces to dismantle and destroy the remaining guerilla fronts of the Local Communist Movement (LCM), hold and contain the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Wao and Bumbaran of

Lanao del Sur Lanao del Sur ( tl, Timog Lanao; Maranao and ilp, Pagabagatan Ranao), officially the Province of Lanao del Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The capital is the city o ...

and destroy other threat groups 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 The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...

curb criminalities in the area.

Units

The following are the Infantry Battalion units that are presently placed under operational control of the brigade: *8th Infantry (Dependable) Battalion *88th Infantry (Maringal) Battalion *1st Special Forces (Anytime Anywhere) Battalion *58th Infantry (Dimalulupig) Battalion *65th Infantry (Stalwart) Battalion

Operations

* Anti-guerrilla operations against the

New People's Army The New People's Army ( fil, Bagong Hukbong Bayan), abbreviated NPA or BHB, is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), based primarily in the Philippine countryside. It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aimi ...

and the

Moro National Liberation Front The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF; ar, الجبهة الوطنية لتحرير مورو) is a political organization in the Philippines that was founded in 1972. It started as a splinter group of the Muslim Independence Movement. The ...

(MNLF). After a peace agreement was concluded between Philippine and MNLF officials, the brigade fought against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Trivia

*Two of its former commanders, Colonels Mariano P Adalem and Gregorio M Camiling Jr, rose to become the Commanding General of the Philippine Army and retired in that position with the ranks of Major General and Lieutenant General, respectively.

References

{{Reflist
Official Site of the PA 4ID.
Infantry brigades of the Philippines Military units and formations established in the 1980s