8th ID rewards soldiers wounded in clashes with rebels

CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines — At least eight soldiers, who were wounded in action during last month’s series of encounters with the rebels in Samar, received medals and cash conferred on them by the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army on Tuesday morning.

From the 87th Infantry Battalion, Corporal Jonas Autor and Private First Class Nico Basibas received the Wounded Personnel Medal after they figured in a clash with about 15 members of the New People’s Army last November 25 at Barangay Buluan in Calbiga, Samar.

The encounter resulted in the death of one unidentified rebel and the confiscation of the rebels’ encampment that had about 18 bunkers, a multi-purpose hall, and a classroom.

The 87th IB soldiers also recovered about 200 rounds of live ammunition for K3 Squad automatic weapon, several documents of high-intel value, a memory card and binoculars.

From the 63rd IB, the awardees were PFCs Pablito Pomarca and Erix Lazara, who were wounded last November 24 when ambushed by the rebels at Barangay, Washington in Catarman, Northern Samar.

The 63rd IB troops were ambushed while on their way back to their headquarters after assisting on the preparations of the local government of San Isidro town for its declaration as insurgency-free. The declaration rites however pushed through following the incident.

From the 14th IB, the awardees were 1st Lieutenant Cherwin Lapura, and PFCs Rey Calabroso and Jack Macatantan. Each of them received the Wounded Personnel Medal after surviving the November 27 ambush in Catbalogan City where two of their co-soldiers were killed and the battalion’s P1.8 million subsistence allowance was taken away by the rebels.

The eighth awardee was Sergeant Wilfredo Irasga, of the 20th IB, who was wounded in an unprecedented attack by the rebels on October 15 at Barangay Bonifacio in Gamay, Northern Samar, while the soldiers were conducting peace and security operations in the area.

Major General Jet Velarmino, commander of the 8th ID, pinned the medals and handed over the cash reward to the soldiers, whose bravery in carrying out their task he said was remarkable and should be emulated by other soldiers.  (FREEMAN)