GENERAL Eduardo Año, Armed Forces chief-of-staff told the wounded soldiers that the AFP is proud of them for the gallantry they demonstrated while in the tour of duty.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines is proud of you. Get well soon, brave soldiers,” Año told the wounded soldiers and militiamen he visited on Saturday at Camp Navarro General Hospital, Zamboanga city.
Año awarded medals to five wounded soldiers and three militiamen during his visit to them.
The recipients of the wounded personnel medal (WPM) were the following soldiers: Staff Sergeant Junifel Pangasian; Sergeant Al-Muktar Sali; Corporal Ayatulla Hamid; Private Arjone Bano; and, Sergeant Yusop Nahudan.
The three militiamen who received WPM medal were Mole Icasama, Lito Lalag and Charlie Alejandro.
They were wounded in separate firefights against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Basilan province; the New People’ Army Rebels in Zamboanga del Norte; and, the Maute group in Marawi City.
“We are seeing the end of the Marawi armed conflict with more than 560 terrorists slain in the battle area. We see this as an opportunity to end terrorism and bring the defeat of threat groups in Basilan, Sulu, Marawi, and Maguindanao,” Año told the troops during his visit.
“These are times when we really feel the support of our countrymen, which is very rewarding for us, soldiers,” he added.
He also commended Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez, Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief, for the successful offensives against the ASG and the local terrorists within the joint area of operations.
“I further laud our medical personnel for giving their service to our battle casualties. We owe our success to the brave soldiers, to the commanders, and our stakeholders,” he said.
Año arrived from Basilan, shortly after he visited the troops at the headquarters of the Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade in Camp Luis Biel, III in the village of Tabiawan, Isabela City.
He was accompanied by Galvez; Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, Commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu; Brigadier Custodio Parcon, Jr., Commander of the Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi; and Colonel Leonel Nicolas, Commander of the Joint Task Force Zamboanga.
Año was also given an update on the ongoing offensives against the threat groups within the area of operations of Wesmincom. (SunStar Philippines)