THE military hailed on Thursday, July 8, 2021, a paramilitary group and residents of Barangay Bangkal in Patikul, Sulu who rushed to the site and initiated a rescue mission when a C-130 military plane crashed and exploded.
Major General William Gonzales, Joint Task Force (JTF) Sulu commander, said he recommended the awarding of Bronze Cross Medal to the members of the Cafgu (Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit) Active Auxiliary (CAA) under 5th Special Forces Company. The Bronze Cross Medal is awarded for heroism involving risk of life.
The JTF Sulu also commended a 22-year-old Tausug, Erham Awaluddin, for exemplifying heroism. Awaluddin’s photos showing the rescue of the crash victims went viral on social media.
CAA member Benhar Awaluddin related that he and residents of Bangkal rushed to the crash site upon hearing the explosion.
“Unang na-rescue ko ‘yung tropa na naghihingalo. Ang sabi niya, 'saan kami?' Sabi ko naman, 'huwag kayo matakot, taga Cafgu kami,'” he said.
“Pare-parehas kami nagtulong mailigtas lang talaga lahat ang mapalad na mabuhay. Pagkarinig namin labas talaga lahat para makuha lahat ng pwede makuha, halos lahat ng sibilyan takbo para tumulong. Walang nag-alinlangan,” he added.
The young Awaluddin, whose photos went viral, said he went back and forth to help pull out survivors and bring them to safer ground.
“Sumama na ako sa mga sundalo (na rumesponde) kahit hindi ko nakilala. Wala na sa isip ko yun, gusto ko kasi tumulong sa mga tao,” Erham said.
“Kahit Kristiyano o Muslim man, hindi naman ako namimili ng tutulungan ko. Hindi po ako kinabahan, kasi gusto kong tumulong sa mga tao,” he added.
Erham is a Philippine Army applicant at the 11TH Infantry Division stationed in Jolo, Sulu.
A total of 50 military personnel and three civilians perished in the crash while 46 soldiers and four civilians were injured.
The C-130 plane, which carried newly trained soldiers for deployment in Sulu, missed the runway and crashed around noon of July 4 in Patikul. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)