Philippine Navy chief, Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano, arrived yesterday in Cebu and went straight to the vigil wake of the Navy trooper who was killed in a firefight last week with MNLF rebels.
“We look at him as an inspiration to carry on what we do which is something indeed truly honorable with a highest purpose of serving a higher value to people,” said Alano, who met Saturnina Bañares, widow of Petty Officer 3 Jose Audrey Bañares.
Alano handed a check for P150,000 to the widow before paying his respects to the fallen member of the elite Naval Special Operations Group.
Bañares will be given full military honors befitting a hero of the Republic during his burial on Sept. 21.
His remains will be interred at the Marigondon Cemetery after the Requiem Mass at noon.
The navy flag officer-in-command later inspected the headquarters of the Naval Forces Central (Navforcen) together with Commodore Reynaldo Yoma, commander of Navforcen.
Alano left Cebu in the afternoon for Zamboanga City to help assess the situation at the AFP Western Mindanao Command. Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag