FOUR personnel of the Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion (IB) were awarded medal for their meritorious and invaluable achievement rendered in support to the mission of the mission of the Western Mindanao Command.

The recipient of the Military Merit Medal are the following: Sergeant Dan Israel Dumajel; Corporal Jay-r Sulatre; Private First Class Ermel Pacolba; and Private First Class Edmund Landero.

Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera, 53IB commander, led the awarding of medal held at Camp Major David Sabido that houses the command’s headquarters in Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur.

Herrera encouraged the awardees and the 53IB troops to maintain high levels of excellence and passion, and focus on their given tasks now that the New People's Army's Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee is at the brink of collapse.

“Let us all put our hearts and minds in our given tasks. Let us be one with our operating troops and think how each and everyone of us can contribute to our mission accomplishment,” Herrera said. (SunStar Zamboanga)