US soldiers assist 2 teens in road mishap

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  – The military yesterday clarified that the two teenagers who were seriously injured in a vehicle coalition with US enlisted personnel in Lamitan, Basilan last Wednesday have been properly assisted.

Maj. Christopher Anderson, public affairs director of the US Joint Special Operation Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P), also gave assurance that they were not running away from the case as they were fully coordinating with the local police investigation.

Anderson was referring to the accident where two teenagers identified as Junaidi Mallatin 19, and his younger brother, Nadzmir, 14, while onboard a motorcycle, figured in an accident with US military personnel who had come from a conference in Lamitan City.

“We cooperated fully well in the investigation and we have been working with their speedy recovery as we are concerned about their safety,” Anderson said.

The two teenagers have been recovering fast in a local hospital, said Lt. Col. Randolf Cabangbang, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom).

They were never in danger as reported, and were being taken care of at the Ciudad de Zamboanga Hospital, said Cabangbang, who visited them in the hospital yesterday.

He said Nadzmir who suffered contusions would be out in a few days, while Mallatin had an operation for a fracture in his left leg and would need another operation to address a fracture in his right hip.

“The doctor gave assurance that once the second operation is completed, he (Mallatin) will have complete use of his lower extremities,” Cabangbang said.

Cabangbang said the two teenagers – and their families who he had met – were thankful that the US soldiers involved in the accident stayed with them, gave them first aid and made sure that there was an ambulance before they left the scene.