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Sunday, July 10, 2016

AFP awards medals to soldiers wounded in Sulu clash

By Teofilo P. Garcia

CAMP NAVARRO, Zamboanga City, July 9 (PNA) – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Saturday awarded medals to the five soldiers who were wounded in the latest clash with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) brigands in the province of Sulu.

Gen. Ricardo Visaya, AFP chief-of-staff, personally pinned the medals to the wounded soldiers who were admitted at Camp Navarro General Hospital in this city.

Lt. Gen. Mayoralgo Dela Cruz, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, assisted Visaya in the awarding of medals to the recipient-soldiers.

Awarded the Wounded Personnel Medal (WPM) were Cpl. Ian Dexter Gavina; Cpl. Rambo Balnawi; PFC Radel Gumban; PFC Christian Naganag; and, PFC Bernie Joe Nagoy.

They were wounded in an intense fighting against 150 ASG brigands, led by ASG senior leader Radulan Sahiron and sub-leader Hadjan Sawajaan on Thursday in Patikul, Sulu.

Intelligence report showed that nine Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed while 13 wounded when the troops pounded them with artillery.

Visaya visited Westmincom to get first hand information of the ongoing focus military operations against the ASG brigands in the provinces of Sulu and Basilan.

“I am here now to see how Westmincom implemented our plans (against the ASG),” Visaya said.

He said the troops were directed to ensure the safety of the hostages as they were ordered to continuously pursue the ASG brigands.

The ASG brigands are still holding captives nine foreigners and three Filipinos in the province of Sulu.

The foreigners included a Dutchman birdwatcher, a Norwegian and seven Indonesian sailors.

Visaya said the focus military operations against the ASG brigands had no time frame. (PNA)

RMA/TPGJR

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