20 soldiers in Lanao clashes get medals

CAPTURED REBEL CAMP Philippine Marines secure an area of a camp they captured held by Islamic extremists in Sultan Kudarat province. JEOFFREY MAITEM/ INQUIRER MINDANAO

TWENTY soldiers who recently clashed with local militants allied with the Islamic State (IS) group were honored with medals and citations Monday for their gallantry and bravery in Butig, Lanao del Sur.

The Armed Forces chief of staff, Gen. Hernando Iriberri, flew to Marawi City with the Philippine Army chief, Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año, to personally award the medals and citations to the 20 soldiers of the 103rd Infantry Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division.

Iriberri, whose military service ends on April 22 when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56, led a one-minute prayer for the three soldiers who were killed in the Butig clashes with the so-called Maute group, which reportedly suffered 24 fatalities and lost two of its camps.

The Jemaah Islamiyah-affiliated group, which has pledged allegiance to the IS group that is sowing terror in Iraq and Syria, is reportedly led by the brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute. The weeklong fighting started on Feb. 20 when the Maute group harassed an Army detachment in Butig.

During the ceremony that was also attended by the Western Mindanao Command chief, Lt. Gen. Mayoralgo dela Cruz, Iriberri awarded the Gold Cross to Capt. Baltazar Marcos, 1Lt Ariel Bulagao, 2Lt Jesus Reyes Jr., Sgt. Rogelio Abuan, and Cpl. Efren Manicad.

The AFP chief of staff awarded the Silver Cross to 1Lt. Sydney Garcia, TSgt. Leopoldo Albana Jr.,

SSgt. Mario Salinas, SSgt. Ronald Vino, and Cpl. Diamael Macapanton. Pfc. Benoch Larona was awarded the Bronze Cross.

Citations were handed to Capt. Ricardo Nolasco, TSgt. Augusto Grande, SSgt. Renante Catalan, SSgt. Rolly Perez, SSgt. Fernando Villavicencio, Sgt. Franky Lazaga, Sgt. Lew Mark Mendiola, Cpl. Antonio Balmores Jr., and Cpl. Rogelio Martin Jr. Julie M. Aurelio