The 73rd Infantry (Neutralizer) Battalion, 10th Infantry (AGILA) Division, Philippine Army is one unit that underwent a series of reorganization since its inception into the AFP in 1983. Originally, the unit was organized as 3rd Military Police Battalion; Military Police Brigade; Armed Forces of the Philippines on 01 June 1983 pursuant to GO Nr 16, MP Brigade, AFP dated 23 May 83. The unit was given a specific mission of enforcing military laws, and regulations, render VIP protection and camp security at AFP General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City until it was assigned to field for the very first time for COIN operations in the Bicol Region in 1984.
Like other units in the AFP, prior to its deployment in Southern Luzon area, the former 3rd MP Bn was sent for retraining in FortMagsaysay, PalayanCity. Afterwhich, it was deployed in the province of Albay and some areas of Sorsogon. It was placed OPCON to then RUC 5 eff 13 Oct 84 for its COIN campaign in Bicol region.
On 15 Apr 86, the 3rd MP Bn was redesignated as the 4th GHQ Bn while its mother unit, was the MP Brigade (separate) AFP was redesignated as GHQ Brigade (separate) AFP pursuant to GO Nr 224, GHQ AFP dtd 22 Apr 86 following the AFP’s reorganization scheme adopted after the Peoples’ Power (EDSA) Revolution in 1986. Its personnel, records and equipment have remained with the unit.
On 14 February 1987, after more than two (2) years of successful COIN effort in Bicol region, the unit was redeployed in Southern Tagalog region with a new AOR covering Laguna and Quezon provinces following a redeployment scheme of clustering the maneuver Battalions of then GHQ Brigade (S) AFP near Metro Manila. The unit was placed under OPCON of Task Force “KALASAG” of the Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM), AFP. On April 1988, TF “KALASAG” was deactivated and the unit was released and subsequently placed under OPCON of 202nd Infantry Brigade, 2ID, PA for COIN campaign in the region and nearby MindoroIsland.
On 16 July 1988, upon the deactivation of GHQ Brigade (S) AFP, the 4th GHQ Bn was re designated as 73rd Infantry Battalion under the 7th Infantry Division, Philippine Army pursuant to Section 2, GO Nr 350, HPA dtd 15 Jul 88. Its Organic Army personnel were absorbed forming the nucleus while the non-Army complement were transferred and reassigned to the National Capital Region Defense Command (NCRDC) as a result of the reorganization scheme.
Since then, the Battalion was placed under the operational control of the 701st Infantry Brigade, 7ID, PA, continuing its COIN campaign in Laguna and Cavite provinces, until the 3rd quarter of CY 1989. On 13 October to 19 December 1989, the unit underwent retraining in FortMagsaysay, PalayanCity. After which, It again proved its worth when it continued maintaining peace and order situation in Metro Manila and Rizal Province with its Alpha Company securing the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) at Muntinlupa augmenting its prison guards in 1990.
On the second quarter of CY 1991, the unit saw action in COIN operations in the hinterlands of Ilocos Norte and then to AbraProvince on the second quarter of CY 1993 up to May 1995. After its colorful four (4) years stint in Northern Luzon, it again went on retraining in FortMagsaysay in preparation for its new task. On 29 September 1995, the unit was sent to Mindanao. Upon arrival in DavaoCity, the Battalion was tasked to occupy Asuncion, Davao Del Norte and in order to relieve-in place the 64th Infantry Battalion. However, on 15 December 1995, the unit was ordered to occupy DavaoCity and the three (3) Southern Municipalities of Davao Del Norte namely: Panabo, Carmen and Santo Tomas and the Island Garden City of Samal.
On 01 December 2003, the unit was placed operational control under the Task Force Davao, 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army with its additional role to conduct anti-terrorism functions and visibility patrols within the urban Davao.
On the first day of the year 2004, this unit was activated as CAFGU Cadre Battalion with its tasks to supervise and control CAFGU Active Auxiliaries within the Province of Davao and was terminated on 01 March 2004 pursuant to Section IV, GO Nr 100, HPA dated 01 March 2004.
On 16 January 2004, the unit was transferred/reassigned to 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division, Philippine Army pursuant to Section 1, General Order Number 49, Headquarters, Philippine Army dated 21 January 2004 and was placed operational control under the Task Force Davao, 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army effective same date.
On 16 August 2006, the unit was transferred/reassign under the newly activated 10th Infantry (Agila) Division, Philippine Army pursuant to Paragraph 1, General Order Number 355, Headquarters, Philippine Army dated 09 August 2006 and pursuant to Paragraph 11, General Order Number 350 Headquarters, Philippine Army dated 07 August 2006 the unit was released and subsequently placed OPCON under of 1001st Infantry Brigade 10ID, PA.
On 16 Jan 07, the unit was released from 1001st Infantry Brigade, 10th Infantry Division, Phil Army and was place OPCON to the newly activated Task Force Raptor 10th Infantry (Agila) Division, Philippine Army pursuant to Paragraph 1 General Orders Number 12 Headquarters 10th INF DIV, PA dated 15 January 2007 and subsequently was under the newly activated 1003rd Infantry (Raptor) Brigade.
On 20 Aug 08, the unit was released from 1003rd Infantry Brigade and was transferred to 1002nd Infantry Brigade AOR. To date, the unit covers the area of Maasim and part of Kiamba both of SaranganiProvince. The unit addresses the security threat posed by the Lawless MILF Groups (LMG) that committed atrocities at the Municipality of Maasim, SaranganiProvince on 18 August 2008. On 13 Sep 2008, the battalion successfully overran the Camp Khalid bin Walid, main camp of 107th Base Command, BIAF in Sitio Macau 2, Brgy Daliao, Maasim, Sarangani which was used by the LMG as the launching ground for the 18 August 2008 attack. Relative peace was established in Maasim, Kiamba, and Maitum (MaKiMa), all of Sarangani Province after the seizure of the said camp.
On 01 January 2009, the three other municipalities of Sarangani namely Alabel, Malapatan, and Glan and the Municipality of Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat were included in the area of operations of the battalion. The battalion launched Campaign Plan "Kalinaw Sarangani" purposely to dismantle the CPP/NPA/NDF's Guerrilla Front 71 (Alex Ababa Command) of the Far South Mindanao Region (FSMR).
On 25 November 2009, following the controversial "Maguindanao Massacre", the battalion was directed to augment the forces in Central Mindanao. It was placed under the operational control of 601st Infantry Brigade and redeployed to the Municipality of Ampatuan, Maguindanao, the site of the Maguinadanao Massacre in order to help restore peace and order in the province of Maguindanao. The battalion was subsequently tasked to administer Martial Law in the Municipalities of Ampatuan and Datu Abdullah Sangki, both of Maguindanao. During the deployment, the battalion was able to recover 92 high powered firearms and around a million rounds of ammunition cached in the different places of the municipalities of Shariff Aguak, Ampatuan, and Datu Abdullah Sangki. For such accomplishments, the battalion was awarded the Republic of the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation Badge, while its Battalion Commander, LTC Edgardo Yao De Leon was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Medal (OAM) by Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in a ceremony at Malacanang Palace. In February 2010, the battalion was redeployed back to Sarangani Province and launched Campaign Plan "Kalinaw Sarangani 2" aimed at dismantling Guerrilla Front 71 by 3rd Quarter 2010. The Battalion continued to perform well accomplishing its mission not only on Internal Security Operations and anti-terrorism function but also by gaining prominence and respect of the populace wherever it is deployed.
The 73rd Infantry Battalion commits to serve across the land as the Filipino People's SOLDIER,... the Filipino People's DEFENDER... the Filipino People'sFRIEND.
