President Duterte has conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the rank of Kampilan on 23 soldiers wounded in a recent clash with the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu.
The President paid tribute to the brave soldiers during a private visit to Camp Navarro General Hospital in Zamboanga City last Saturday.
The Order of Lapu-Lapu recipients are 2nd Lt. Michael Vincent Benito, Staff Sgt. Rex Cureg, Sergeants Romeo Barbon, Jerson Barasi, and Reynante Ruma, Corporals Geneus Calamlam, Bingbong Salvador, Felix Jay Castillo, Denver Lambino, and Eugene Corpuz;
Privates First Class London Longawis, Aldrin Paj-Dio, Kriel Manaligod, Jordan Magundayao, Ruben Bulayang, Harvie Soriano, Marnel Piduana, Sandoval Ludivico, John Paul Layugan, Gevil Lorenzo, and Privates Jayferson Balac, Jaime Boco Jr., and Rizalde Tierro.
The Order of Lapu-Lapu is given to persons in government or private sector who have rendered extraordinary service or have made exceptional contributions to the success of the President’s campaign or advocacy. The Kampilan Medal is conferred on persons who were seriously wounded or suffered great loss of property as a direct result of their participation to such action.
The soldiers were also given new guns and financial assistance by the President.
The government troops who were trying to rescue hostages taken by the ASG were injured when the armed men attacked them in Patikul, Sulu last Nov. 16. Five soldiers were killed by the militants during the incident.
In his visit to Zamboanga City, the President also offered P300 million for the construction of a new two-story military hospital inside Camp Navarro. He allowed the hospital officials to use the P27 million remaining fund set aside for the new Camp Navarro General Hospital to buy medical equipment. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
