Special Forces officers who led assault on Solaiman top Army awardees

An Army lieutenant and one of his men were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Star yesterday for their key roles in the killing of Abu Sayyaf commander Jainal Antel Sali alias Abu Solaiman in the jungles of Sulu last January.

The honor was bestowed on 1Lt. Almirante Mijares and Cpl. Raul Suacillo during the Army’s 110th founding anniversary celebration yesterday.

Mijares led the Army Special Forces assault that led to Abu Solaiman’s death, while Suacillo shot dead the Abu Sayyaf commander before he could warn his men.

Mijares and Suacillo were awarded their medals at the Army’s 1st Infantry Division headquarters in Barangay Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur in the presence of men of the 8th Special Forces Company.

The Distinguished Conduct Star is one of the highest military combat medals, next only to the most coveted Medal of Valor.

As the lead scout, Suacillo led troops of the 8th Special Forces Company commanded by Mijares close to the Abu Sayyaf encampment at Mount Dajo, Barangay Buroh, in Talipao at dawn of Jan. 16.

Suacillo was about to capture Abu Solaiman alive, but he had to shoot him down when the bandit leader shouted "Allahuh Akbar" to warn his men that Army troops had found them.

"For conspicuous acts of courage and gallantry while serving as officer-in-charge of the 8th Special Forces Company, 3rd Special Forces Battalion, Special Forces Regiment during an encounter with more or less 60 heavily armed members of the Abu Sayyaf Group led by Jainal Antel Sali Jr.," read the Army citation honoring Mijares.

The Army also honored Mijares for his sterling leadership that resulted in the "neutralization"of scores of terrorists whose bodies were carried away by their fleeing colleagues.

"Imbued with tactical skills, Corporal Suacillo was able to close in on the enemy undetected and accurately hit a fleeing enemy who was later found to be Jainal Antel Sali Jr., aka Abu Solaiman. With the death of Solaiman, his followers became confused and scampered to different directions leaving their camp undefended," read the Army’s citation honoring Suacillo.

Abu Solaiman’s body was later exhumed by Army troops and presented to the media before it was reburied in accordance with Islamic beliefs.

An engineer by profession, Abu Solaiman served as Abu Sayyaf tactician and adviser to chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani, who was also killed earlier in an encounter with Marines and Scout Rangers in Talipao, Sulu.

As part of the Army’s founding anniversary celebration, Army commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., and Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., led the ceremonial destructions of thousands of captured enemy firearms at the Fort Bonifacio parade grounds.

Tolentino said the captured firearms have accumulated for years and have become a burden for the Army to continuously keep.