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Aquino leads ‘heroes’ welcome’ for slain soldiers

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President Benigno Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay witness the arrival at the Villamor Airbase in Fort Bonifacio of the slain seven Marines. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino on Saturday afternoon led the heroes’ welcome for the seven Marines killed in an encounter with Abu Sayyaf extremists earlier this week.

The remains of the seven marines under Special Operations Platoon of MBLT 11 who were killed, including five who were beheaded and mutilated during an encounter at Patikul on July 28, are airlifted to Fort Bonifacio. JULIE S. ALIPALA / INQUIRER MINDANAO

The remains of the  seven soldiers, including a junior officer, arrived at the Villamor Airbase aboard a C130 flight from Zamboanga City.

The soldiers honored by Aquino were Second Lieutenant Michael Baladad, Sergeant Desiderio Serdan, Jr., Corporal Ramsel Laynesa, Corporal Claro Lapasaran III, Corporal Freddie Castellano, Private First Class Juanito Evasco, Jr., and Private Nico Tinambunan.

The President was joined by Vice President Jejomar Binay and military officials.

Aquino met with the families of the soldiers for 15 to 20 minutes before the ceremonies.

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Tags: abu sayyaf , Government , Marines , Military , Moro Insurgency , news , Terrorism

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  • Anonymous

    The least our government can do to these fallen heroes is recompense their families with lump sums of lots of millions of pesos, including with their service pensions, that they deserve.
    Tutal nakakapanindig balahibo naman sa dami ng milyones ang NINANAKAW lang ng mga mandurugas sa gobyerno!

    Better yet, allocate a year of a senator’s pork barrel’s worth to each of those who died. Wala munang PB ng isang taon ang isang senador. This is not asking too much considering a senator gets 250 million pesos for 6 yrs. Consider a fallen hero a government project if you may, but a true and real project. Is that an exaggeration? If you think so, review Naguiat’s salary for the past 6 months for not even dying!

  • Anonymous

    thank you Mr. President. this gives strong signals to terrorists that we value our constituents and that they should think twice before doing as crazy as these things as THEIR FUTURE WILL GET CRAZIER TOO! they should be ready to die and beheaded too! (does this idea raises their hair at all). Filipinos are already so tired of them. We don’t have anybody to defend us. this goes to the communists and even causes behind rallies. NOBODY GETS SCARED ANYMORE EXCEPT JUAN DE LA CRUZ.

  • Anonymous

    Thank you fallen heroes for the ultimate sacrifice you made for our country.   You deserve our respect and gratitude.  We all salute you. 

  • http://twitter.com/boymatiao isko daya

    Heroes they are indeed and so dauntless protecting our citizens and country. But they are dead! This is what is heartbreaking and frustrating. So many administrations came and went but these scumbags are still there. Not even a former General who became a President was able to quash rebellion and terrorism.

    What good is life if you already lost it. I hope with the carnage and his presence before the fallen heroes, Noynoy, the President, can see peace and security as a dire priority – a priority not only for the tranquil life but for our economy. No economy can grow with the presence of these rebels and terrorists.

    NPAs, MILFs, BIFFs, whoever they are, have to face the brunt of the government’s resolute campaign for peace. Long before that this should have done. Let the nation experience the real peace by quashing rebellions. That is our request, Mr. President. You have five more years to do it!

    MY SALUTE TO OUR BELOVED SOLDIERS!

  • Anonymous

    This is one of the stupidiest suggestion written here.  While we honor the fallen soldiers, their income/benefits include the risk that they take on behalf of the country.  I cannot think of any action that would be more disrespectful to these fallen soldiers than to “compensate” their families other than what is rightfully due them.  On a pragmatic standpoint, providing considerable amounts to their families may incentivize other soldiers for an “easy way out.” 

    If we want to honor these fallen soldiers, let’s get rid of these Abu Sayyaf once and for all.  They should be treated like the criminals that they are.  If we need to ask for assistance from the US to deal with these, so be it.  Our country will be better off without these bandits that dishonor our nation. 

  • JJF724

    Salute for our fallen soldiers …  and a moment of silent.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IPP5YYIWBIDJY6TBQCTQSTPO3Q Anonymous

    is this what all our President can do visiting their burial rites saying they are heroes & then blah blah! and doing no concrete solutions that will effectivelly eradicate this maggots. this is done by many previous presidents….so stupid parang it all a showcase. kailangang  tangalin sa pwesto ang incompetent mlitary officials na yan.. kawawa lng ang frontline soldiers.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/T5GOBUSFFFNEP2PFKHHBGT3PPY juan

    We should all salute our fallen heroes.

    The military doesn’t need to look for the rebels in the mountains of Sulu, most of the are “part time” bandits. They’re probably at home in their own communities being protected by relatives and local officials. Sad to say, moslem communities in Mindanao still support these bandits. Our soldiers initially will encounter 20-30 bandits, but after a while they will have hundreds surrounding their position because nearby moslem communities will help them fight the soldiers. Many soldiers can attest to these tactics, sad that “Aircon” generals still send our soldiers to their death without enough support. In an operation there should be enough troops to reinforced the spearhead and a blocking force to hit retreating enemies. Where are the reinforcements, the blocking force and fire support elements? it looked liked the platoon was alone in the operation that’s why they were overwhelmed….

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_UWISP2YXGDQ7K2SIX2GI37B2EI Darwin

    Only the young and of the lowest positions die in battlefields. While the old ones, who may have not even experienced any gunfight in their career are busy sending their wives to the US to buy real estates and go shopping; or buy old aircrafts for the price of a brand new.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_UWISP2YXGDQ7K2SIX2GI37B2EI Darwin

    Better pay and benefits to all our soldiers, NOW!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_24QNZDF5I5GUT6P6VNA6MKNN5Y *-*

    top incompetent military officials should be accountable for these poor fallen soldiers as well as corrupt politicians.
    Lots of military officials trying to engage politics and some involve in corruption for these they lost control and forgot their oath to serve and protect. they should keep planning for better outcome…..for how many decades they don’t learn….what happened to those poor fallen soldier was just a repeat from the past………

  • Anonymous

    it’s time to tell our troops that these muslim extremists are traitors. 

  • Anonymous

    Ano ba ang maaari mong maipayo sa ikalulutas ng problema dahil sa naging presidente na ang west pointer na si fidel ramos pero nananatiling problema pa rin ang sa mindanao.

  • Anonymous

    all i can say is get out in MinSuPala Area were we muslim majority..
    we dont what to kill any one if this settler soldiers step our domian.. remember fellas.. we didn’t surrender to any one who occupy our land even Spain, japan and American remember that.. how much more if some one weaker who want to abduct our land by manilas colonial..  we will kill any one who want to die in our land.. so i advice u, and not jst for advice this is ur future your  son and daughter for the better peace.. all selltlers and Philippines army must go back to Luzon and Visayas.. this is the always way to achieve a true peacefull place… late the Bansamoro Govern or home domain mean the MinSuPala area.. and cristian and muslim will leave for ever side by side, just like what out descendant doing.. Long Leave BangsaMoro..  

  • Anonymous

    all i can say is get out in MinSuPala Area were we muslim majority..

    we dont what to kill any one if this settler soldiers step our domian..
    remember fellas.. we didn’t surrender to any one who occupy our land
    even Spain, japan and American remember that.. how much more if some one
    weaker who want to abduct our land by manilas colonial..  we will kill
    any one who want to die in our land.. so i advice u, and not jst for
    advice this is ur future your  son and daughter for the better peace..
    all selltlers and Philippines army must go back to Luzon and Visayas..
    this is the always way to achieve a true peacefull place… late the
    Bansamoro Govern or home domain mean the MinSuPala area.. and cristian
    and muslim will leave for ever side by side, just like what out
    descendant doing.. Long Leave BangsaMoro.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_A4G6HCUTKODSQ3Q2GTIATXCU6E Mikaela Roberts

    It’s hard to imagine up to these days these extremists still exist. We can’t even purge a small group, and yet what more we can expect if Chinese troops start landing in Spratlys. We are sending a wrong message that indeed PH is vulnerable to any invasion.. 

  • Anonymous

    Even at war there are guidelines wherein civilized nations follow. That includes prohibition on mutilation of combatants.

    Exterminate these Muslim extremist barbarians. You extremists belong to the dark ages. Apparently your kind have not evolved into real human beings yet. So killing your kind is nothing more than killing pigs.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Murdoc-Giovanni-Olandag/100000517328238 Murdoc Giovanni Olandag

    Private first class Juanito Evasco ma search nyo xa sa facebook try nyo..i salute all the marines.

  • abmatibay

    EVEN THE MIGHTY AMERICAN EMPIRE WITH ITS NATO ALLIES ARE STILL UNABLE TO DEFEAT THE TALIBAN…

    THEY ARE SHIFTING TO NEW TACTICS…TALKING TO THE TALIBAN.

    DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE US!

  • Anonymous

    no matter what the barbaric act will end in its time… there is no need for peace talk…

  • Anonymous

    tutal pulos paghihiganti din lang ang alam ni pinoy ngayon dito mo ibuhos ang lahat ng gusto mong paghihiganti.patas ang labanan dito hindi paris ni pandak na nasa kama ng operasyon sa katawan pulos banat pa din kayo ng banat.iganti ninyo ang mga buhay ng mga sundalong ito hindi yung pulos imbestigasyong walang katuturan

  • Anonymous

    huwag ng lagyan ng politika ang laban sa abu sayaf.wala ng dapat pagusapan diyan  giyera ang gusto kaya tapatan din ng giyera e kung ang abu sayaf hindi kayang timbogin e paano ang mga intsik na gustong nakawin ang spratly?isang minuto lang sa giyera nandoon na sa pintuan ng malakanyang yung chinese ambassador at si pinoy nilalagdaan na ang surrender

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_5R7FDH6I73P4IOHMOLQGDWOW7E n

    this group is clearly not looking for peace.. not even fighting for ideology; abduction then beheading; I don’t think this is anything that all our kababayan in Mindanao would like to do; we must never send our soldiers for nothing, no excuses for lives lost. I have greater respect to our soldiers than most of our money-soliciting-non-disciplined police, why don’t we send them instead. These extremists don’t show respect, then why do we show respect by sending our galant soldiers. Btw, what a lousy walk for the pall-bearers (watch the news), show respect by at least walking soldierly. Malaking pagpupugay sa mga sundalong pinoy!

  • Anonymous

    why are we losing our soldiers..whats AFP explanation. They dont deserve to die. Can someone explain it to the Filipinos why iis it impossible for AFP to eradicate this problem..Please explain……

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WYX4ZTAV4BUGW2RIMT45CPYBGA Pio Gante

    hanggang ngayon di pa rin sila natuto na di pwedeng pagkatiwalaan ang mga muklo, kahit kasamahan ta-traydorin nila. nag-ugat ang kaguluhan sa mindanao dahil sa tangka ng pilipinas na bawiin ang sabah, reklamador ang mga trainee na gagamitin sa operasyon kaya nagkaroon ng jabidah massacre sinakyan ang issue at nag-ingay ang ama ang kasalukuyang presidente, dahil ayaw ng malaysia na mabalik sa pilipinas ang sabah sinuportahan at inarmasan  nila ang mga muklo at habang abala ang pilipinas sa pakikipaglaban eh binaha ng malaysia ng katutubong malay ang sabah at nung pinapili ang mga taong nakatira doon kung saan nila gusto ay pilnili nila ang malaysia. kahit sa kasalukuyan may suporta pa rin ang malaysia sa mga rebelde, saan ba tumakbo si misuari? di ba doon din.

  • Anonymous

    so you have the illusion of owning the land. whereinfact you are just GOONS OF THE LAND. you are preventing your kababayans to enjoy peace and instead greed is what is in your mind. actually you should get out of the Philippines!

  • Anonymous

    …yeah, yeah a**hole!

  • Anonymous

    lets eat pork my friend…

  • Anonymous

    lets eat pork my friend… a good way to practice ramadan is by eating inihaw na liempo and drinking beer…hahahaha!!!!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    … AND TREATING THEM TO LUNCH WITH PORK AND BEER…HAHAHAHA!

  • Anonymous

    WHATEVER HAPPENED TO PLAN “B”…OR THERE WAS NONE?…INTELLIGENCE FUNDS…WHERE ART THOU????…COULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT INFORMANTS OF ABUS’ WHEREABOUTS, LOCATIONS, ETC WITH THE FUNDS…OR BETTER WEAPONRIES….

  • Anonymous

    We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards. 
    SO, MY PREVIOUS COMMENTS DOES NOT CORRESPOND WITH YOUR STANDARD, THAT  IT WILL NEVER BE PUBLISHED…..OKAY….I HEAR YA!!!!…AND TO BORROW KIKO’S INFAMOUS WORD…”NOTED”….THANKS… 

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/T5GOBUSFFFNEP2PFKHHBGT3PPY juan

    Condolence to our heroes!

    Dapat, relieve kaagad and CO ng MLBT11, nasaan ang reinforcements at fire support, naging over confident siya dahil ” Special Operations Platoon” ang pinadala nya. Pero di ba dapat may mga reinforcements na at blocking force na malapit sa tropa. There should at least been a company of Marines at the rear of the platoon just in case this happens. Di ba ganito na naman ang nangyari sa Marine Recon noon, pinadala sila na walang rear support elements kaya ng inambush walang nagawa.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IPP5YYIWBIDJY6TBQCTQSTPO3Q Anonymous

    they could have to ( the Allies) if they want to and that is if they want to be like this barbarians by Nuking them ( which i really love to happen) fortunately 4 you muzzies these are civilized nations..

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IPP5YYIWBIDJY6TBQCTQSTPO3Q Anonymous

    that is the incompetence of our military officials kailangan total overhaul sa  military hierarchy.

  • shane oy

    lol wish

  • Anonymous

    @cpcook, may nana kasi ang utak mo kaya ikaw lang ang kontra sa suggestion ko. Hwag mong ikalat ang katangahan mo rito at baka sa galit ng mga tao sa pagkamatay ng mga sundalo i-lynch ka tulok! i-inglis inglis ka pang aso ka, nakakahilo naman ang sinasabi mo! tutal cook ang pangalan mo, mabuti psa magluto ka na lang, tumbong!

  • Anonymous

    ” I cannot think of any action that would be more disrespectful to these
    fallen soldiers than to “compensate” their families other than what is
    rightfully due them.  On a pragmatic standpoint, providing considerable
    amounts to their families may incentivize other soldiers for an “easy
    way out.”  

    Pag hindi naman salitang baliw ang sinasabi ng kusinerong cook na ito, ewan ko na.Durog ka ba o durog kang animal ka! Makapag-inglis ka lang bahala na sayo kung masuka sa hilo ang babasa sa isinusulat mo, cretin!

  • Anonymous

    to bangsamoro…. Please tell your extremist member…… Please study hard…. work hard……. to have a better living… and maybe reduce praying too much coz you might go beyond heaven…………..

  • Anonymous

    To Bangsamoro
    you guys are demons…. You pray more than 10 times a day and yet you still kill humans like killing ants….. Is that what you teach on your church?????????????????

    Are you human???? Where are you praying, are you praying to Satan…..???

    What I can say is, most of you are Damnnnnnnnnn Lazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzyyyyyyyyyy and just want to be feed and be supported by other idiot rich islam extremist leaders….

    And you are so ensecure with Christian religion………..

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_K2RI3LJVGNNED3XPMG7HVMIIO4 Herbert

    Ilang ganitong arrival honor pa kaya ang a-atenan ni Pnoy?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WRTZ6LHZGZH4SASHWEDVMYF5MI Edward

    yes i have seen videos in you tube wherein these people after killing US soldiers praise their god.
    what kind of god these people have?

  • Anonymous

    It’s bigotry like this that ensures we’ll never  be rid of violence in mindanao.

  • Anonymous

    We strongly condemn the killing of the marines and the beheading of two soldiers.  We should hunt down the perpetrators and punish them for what they have done.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_HT2KZDD2E6YJMW6J3IE666WHVI Arlan Hortaleza

    THE MARINES ARE SOLDIERS WHO REFUSED TO GIVE UP AND DON’T KNOW HOW TO FIGHT BACKWARD. THEY ARE MARINES WHO TRAINED TO FIGHT UNTIL THE LAST BULLET RANG OUT FROM THE BARREL OF THEIR GUNS. THEY ARE HARD HEADED,THEY REFUSED TO LEAVE THEIR COMRADES BEHIND IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. THEY ARE FEARLESS THAT’S WHY THEY CHOOSE TO DIE RATHER THAN TO RUN. PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE ROBOTS, NO THEY ARE NOT! THEY ARE HUMAN TOO. THAT’S WHY THEY CHOOSE TO OFFER THEIR LIVES, SO THAT WE ARE FREE. BUT STILL THERE ARE OTHER MARINES WHO WILL CONTINUE TO DEFEND OUR COUNTRY AND PEOPLE FOR THOSE WHO LEFT AHEAD.  LETS GO MARINES!!! HOORRAHHH!!!!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EAUJFSZPGZQJZ6NUMMY7XAN5RQ Jose

    I am just curious, who is grieving for all the hundreds if not thousands of Pilipinos who disappeared and believed to have been executed while in police and military custody?



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