ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the US military here honored yesterday 583 Filipino and American soldiers who died while battling terrorism spawned by the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao in a memorial service.
The slain troopers – 566 Filipinos and 17 Americans – were represented at a Fallen Comrades’ Memorial symbolized by a Kevlar helmet placed atop an M-4 assault rifle standing on a pair of boots at Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) headquarters.
During the memorial, gun salutes were rendered and the Philippines and US flags were laid on the memorial as a symbol of the two countries’ respect for the soldiers’ bravery.
Both Filipino and American soldiers who attended the memorial service were emotional as speakers led by Westmincom chief Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino and Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines commander Capt. Robert Gusentine recounted the bravery of their fallen comrades.
Dolorfino said the soldiers fought for eight years against the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and Sulu to keep peace in the South. Two American servicemen died in the 2009 roadside bombing in Patikul, Sulu, while more than a dozen perished in the Chinook helicopter crash in Central Visayas in February 2002 after taking part in the Balikatan 01-1 exercise in Basilan.
“We have a memorial service in honor of the brave men who paid the ultimate sacrifice in fighting terrorism. These men died protecting not only the interest of our respective countries but the interest of all peace loving people in the world,” Dolorfino said.
Dolorfino reminded the combined Filipino and US forces that their comrades died defending “a way of life that they felt was worth dying for... families, morality, values, ideals, but most especially freedom from living in terror.”
Dolorfino stressed that while remembering their fallen comrades they must also call to mind the past and the present threats.