Centcom chief honors wounded with medals

Nine wounded soldiers who are presently confined at the Camp Lapu-Lapu Hospital here in Cebu City received Wounded Personnel Medals in their hospital beds yesterday afternoon.

Central Command commander Lt. Gen. Emmauel Teodosio together with some members of the Kaibigan ng mga Kawal sa Kapuluan (KKK) awarded the medals to the wounded soldiers in the presence of their families and relatives yesterday afternoon.

The recipients were identified as Cpl. Joel Octaviano, and Rodel Jauod, Michael Camutuhan, Charlito James, Richard Baskot, Joel Ryan del Monte, Nazzer Abellar, Erben Gerona, Adonis Cabalhin, all first-class Privates.

Sixteen soldiers survived an attack by New Peoples' Army rebels who detonated a landmine under a truck carrying the soldiers back to their base outside Calinog town in Iloilo. Seven of them in critical condition were airlifted to the AFP General Hospital in Manila yesterday morning.

Nine soldiers were killed in the attack.

Aside from their medals, the wounded soldiers also received comfort kits and toiletries from KKK members.

Teodosio yesterday said the soldiers deserve to be rewarded for the sacrifices they render to defend our country's democracy.

Teodosio also said that the military operation in Palo, Leyte, last Monday morning, was a legitimate operation and he was convinced those who were killed were rebels. This after soldiers reported finding firearms, subversive documents, binoculars and cellphones from the scene.

He said they have already turned over some of the arrested NPA rebels to the Palo police who will be filing charges against them. Flor Z. Perolina-