Pres. Duterte also extended assistance, rewards to the soldiers
TACLOBAN CITY- The families of the six slain and wounded soldiers in an ambush in a remote village in Borongan City received financial assistance from the provincial governments of Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.
The financial assistance extended to these soldiers by the provincial governments were on top of the assistance and awards bestowed to them by President Rodrigo Duterte who personally visited the soldiers on November 15.
The provincial government, under Governor Ben Evardone who is also the regional chairman of the Peace and Order Council for Eastern Visayas, gave P25,000 to the families of the slain soldiers and P10,000 for the wounded soldiers.
For her part, Eastern Samar Rep. Maria Fe Abunda also gave P50,000 to the families of the slain soldiers.
Meantime, the provincial government of Northern Samar, through Governor Edwin Ongchuan also extended financial assistance to the families of the killed soldiers in the amount of P20,000.
Ongchuan said that the financial assistance given by the provincial government to the families of the slain soldiers was in ‘the spirit of regional solidarity and commitment to end insurgency in Eastern Visayas.’
Northern Samar, together with the provinces of Samar and Eastern Samar, have been identified by the military in the region to still have an active insurgency problem.
To recall, the soldiers belonging to the 14th Infantry Battalion based in Oras, also in Eastern Samar, encountered an estimated 50 members of the New People’s Army (NPAs) in sitio Bangin of Barangay Pananag-an, a coastal village which is six hour sea travel from the city proper or Borongan.
Killed during the November 11 encounter, with the NPA used six improvised explosive devices, were Sgt.Rex Jadulco; Corporal Ronaldo Go; Cpl.Limar Banug; Private First Class Kent Loyd Agullo; Private Charlie del Rosario and Private First Class Junmar Buranday.
Injured were Sgt. Kenneth John Arcina; Sgt. Cyril Baja; Sgt. Rando Soria;Pfc Albert Abegonia;Pfc Denmark Gonsaza;Pfc Dandreb Gealon;Pfc Reil Bilason;Pfc Gilbert Renegado;Pfc Rex Batis;Pfc Jerwin Omrob;Pvt Darwin Aborquez;Pvt Joshua Pacuan;Pvt Roger Moore Ditche; Sgt Marlon Orsal;Cpl Dominador Antonio;Cpl Aljon Aguillos;Cpl Linlito Donayre; Pfc Mark Geric De Leon; Pfc Rene Abuda; and Pvt Jayson Beros.
During his Nov.15 visit, President Duterte the six slain soldiers were given posthumous awards of the Order of Lapu-Lapu, Rank of Kalasag while the wounded soldiers were conferred by their Commander-in-Chief the Order of Lapu-Lapu, Rank of Kampilan.
The Order of Lapu-Lapu is given to persons in the government or private sector who have rendered extraordinary service or have made an exceptional contributions to the success of the President’s campaign or advocacy.
The Kampilan Medal is conferred on persons who were seriously wounded or suffered great loss of property as direct result of their participation in such action while the Kalasag Medal is given to officials and personnel of the government and private individuals who lost their lives as a direct result of their participation in an activity pursuant to a campaign or advocacy of the President.
Pres. Duterte had earlier directed the soldiers in the region, which is under the command of Major Gen. Pio Diñoso III, to end its insurgency problem before he steps down in office in 2022. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
