TACLOBAN CITY –– The provincial governments of Eastern Samar and Northern Samar have extended financial assistance to the Army soldiers who were either killed or wounded in an encounter with communist insurgents in Borongan, Eastern Samar last week.
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, chair of the Peace and Order Council for Eastern Visayas, gave P25,000 to the families of the slain soldiers and P10,000 to the wounded soldiers.
Eastern Samar Rep. Maria Fe Abunda gave P50,000 to the families of the slain soldiers.
The provincial government of Northern Samar, through Governor Edwin Ongchuan, also handed over P20,000 to each of the families of the slain soldiers.
Ongchuan said the financial assistance was in “the spirit of regional solidarity and commitment to end insurgency in Eastern Visayas.”
Northern Samar, together with Samar and Eastern Samar, has been identified by the military in the region to still have an active insurgency problem.
Last November 11, the soldiers belonging to the 14th Infantry Battalion based in Oras, also in Eastern Samar, encountered at least 50 members of the New People’s Army in Sitio Bangin of Barangay Pananag-an.
Killed during the encounter were Sergeant Rex Jadulco, Corporal Ronaldo Go, Corporal Limar Banug, Private First Class Kent Loyd Agullo, Private Charlie del Rosario, and Private First Class Junmar Buranday.
Injured were Sergeants Kenneth John Arcina, Cyril Baja, Marlon Orsal, and Rando Soria; Private First Class Albert Abegonia, Denmark Gonsaza, Dandreb Gealon, Reil Bilason, Gilbert Renegado, Rex Batis, Mark Geric De Leon, Rene Abuda, and Jerwin Omrob; Privates Darwin Aborquez, Joshua Pacuan, Jayson Beros and Roger Moore Ditche; Corporals Dominador Antonio, Aljon Aguillos, and Linlito Donayre.
During his November 15 visit, President Duterte posthumously conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu, Rank of Kalasag, on the six slain Army soldiers.
The wounded soldiers were conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu, Rank of Kampilan.
The Order of Lapu-Lapu is given to persons in the 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 seriously wounded or suffered great loss or property as a direct result of their participation in such action, while the Kalasag Medal is bestowed on officials and personnel of the government and private individuals, who lost their lives as a result of their participation in an activity in pursuant of a campaign of the President.
President Duterte had earlier directed the soldiers in the region, which is under the command of Major Gen. Pio Diñoso III, to end its insurgency problem before he steps down in 2022.