Duterte visits soldiers wounded in Cotabato blast

MANILA, Philippines—President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night visited soldiers who were wounded in an explosion in Cotabato City over the weekend.

Duterte visited four soldiers at the Battle Casualty Ward of Camp Siongco Station Hospital who were among those injured in the blast that occurred Sunday evening.

The soldiers were identified as Sgt. Ariel F. Joaquin, Cpl. Genesis R. Mansalon, PFC Cris John F. Figueroa and Pvt. Ian C. Villaruel. They were all given Order of Lapu-Lapu – Rank of Kampilan on top of assistance from the Office of the President.

President Duterte visited on Monday night soldiers wounded in the Cotabato City blast. He conferred them the Order of Lapu-Lapu-Rank of Kampilan and handed out other forms of assistance. (📸Presidential Photos) @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/R9ZFphR922

— Darryl John Esguerra (@drrylesguerra) December 24, 2019

A total of 21 people, nine of them soldiers, were wounded in a series of explosions that rocked Cotabato City and the neighboring Libungan town in Cotabato province on Sunday.  The Armed Forces of the Philippines has put the blame on the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

The President also visited other soldiers admitted in the hospital, who sustained blast injuries due to an encounter last Nov. 28 in Brgy. Pikeg of Shariff Saydona Mustapha in Maguindanao.

Duterte also met with representatives of wounded soldiers  confined in Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC). The families of soldiers, namely SSgt. Ariel M. Lumagod, PFC Aljon B. Jimenez, PFC Jaymark A. Bron and Pvt. Raymond F. Oyan, were given cash and other forms of assistance.