City honors, grants aid to slain, wounded soldiers
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo condoles with the bereaved family of one of the soldiers slain in the recent clash in Basilan, as Mayor Celso Lobregat, District II Cong. Erbie Fabian, Westmincom Chief BGEN. Ben Dolorfino, Basilan Gov. Jum Akbar and other military officials listen during the presidential visit to the WESTMINCOM gym where the remains of the fallen soldiers lie in state, Saturday. (JOEY BAUTISTA)
Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday issued an executive order honouring the gallantry and valor of the 23 soldiers who were slain in the service of the country and people while battling against terrorist groups in Basilan province the other day.
The same tribute goes to the 25 soldiers and a police officer who were wounded in the same encounter with Abu Sayyaf troops in sitio Kurellam, barangay Silangkum, Tipo-tipo, Basilan August 12.
Executive Order CL-279-2009 also expresses the city government of Zamboanga and its residents’ sincere gratitude for the soldiers’ service and expresses deep sympathy and condolence to the families of the slain soldiers. It likewise authorizes the grant of financial assistance to the families of the soldiers slain in action as well as soldiers wounded in action.
Mayor Lobregat personally distributed the P10,000 checks to the next of kin of each of the slain soldiers during a visit at the Western Mindanao Command gymnasium together with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo yesterday morning.
The wounded soldiers and police official received P3,000 each in line with the city government’s assistance in crisis situations (AICS).
“The city government, through the undersigned City Mayor, the residents of the City and the entire Zamboangueño community express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all these valiant men and jointly and solidarily mourn, sympathize and condole with the families of the 23 fallen heroes who shed their precious lives in defending our beloved country so that we, the Filipino people, shall enjoy our liberty and the sanctity of our democratic way of life,” the executive order said.
The August 12 encounter was part of the government’s declared policy to intensify operations against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu and Basilan. Reports show that the government troops encountered heavy resistance from a large Abu Sayyaf group led by Furuji Indama and Khair Mundos with reinforcements from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The terrorists’ group was successfully overrun and captured by troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in Basilan. The encounter resulted to the death of 30-40 Abu Sayyaf terrorists and the capture and retrieval of high powered firearms and ammunitions.
The encounter, however, resulted to the loss of 23 precious lives of gallant soldiers and the wounding of 26 of their comrades. The slain were 1Lt. Chester Barela, PA; 1Lt. Dhell Jun Evangelista (PA), SSgt. Johny Corpuz (PM), SSgt. Aguedo Casiano (PM), SSgt. Roberto Gamboa (PM), SSgt. Nilo Yu (PM), Sgt. Reynaldo Torejas (PM), Sgt. Elmer Miranda (PM), Sgt. Ramon Encila, Jr. (PM), Sgt. Randy Vacaro (PM), Cpl. Key Guaza (PM), Cpl. Crisanto Simtim (PM), Cpl. Renato Dindin (PA), PFC. Ronal Bayos (PM), PFC Darylle Dave Toroy (PM), PFC Lemuel de la Cruz (PM), PFC Elfie Igcalinos (PM), PFC Redentot Batoctoy (PM), PFC Ernie John Marquez (PM), PFC Jeomar Trompeta (PM), PFC Jefferson Cailao (PM) and PFC Retchie Estrada (PM).
Three of the 23 slain are from Zamboanga City—Yu of Vitali, Miranda of Tetuan and Gamboa of Upper Calarian.
Meanwhile, President Arroyo also distributed cash assistance and educational packages for the survivors of the slain soldiers. Posthumous awards were also presented to the relatives.
From the WESTMINCOM gymnasium, President Arroyo together with her party and Mayor Lobregat proceeded to the Camp Navarro General Hospital to visit the wounded soldiers and to also distribute assistance.
After the visit, the president presided over a command conference at the Westmincom headquarters and returned to Manila immediately afterwards. (Sheila Covarrubias)