By Teofilo Garcia, Jr. | Philippine News Agency
The Army’s 1st Infantry Division (1ID) on Monday (Oct. 4) awarded Wounded Personnel Medals (WPM) to three more soldiers hurt in an explosion near transmission towers in Buadiposo-Buntong, Lanao del Sur last week.
Maj. Gen. Generoso Ponio, 1ID commander, led the awarding of medals in a ceremony inside the Camp Major Cesar Sang-an Station Hospital in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur.
Ponio said the WPM recipients — Sgt. Roy Malhin, PFC Elmar Miquiabas, and PFC Jeffrey Andrade, all of the Army’s 55th Infantry Battalion, were honored for their utmost dedication to duty.
Ponio also extended financial assistance and gave grocery items to the three awardees who are recuperating at the military hospital.
Ponio said the three awardees were among the eight soldiers who were wounded after a booby trap exploded while they were securing the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) personnel in Barangay Tangcal, Buadiposo-Buntong, Lanao del Sur, last September 28.
The incident occurred when one of the soldiers tripped over a hidden vine that was connected to the grenade pin planted near the transmission tower while providing security assistance to the NGCP linemen who were conducting routine tower inspection and repair.
Five of the eight wounded soldiers and the two NGCP personnel were taken to Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC) in Marawi City.
Two of them have already been released from the hospital and have returned to duty. They all received a similar award.
READ MORE: Soldiers injured in Lanao Sur NGCP tower blast feted
Brig. Gen. Jose Maria Cuerpo II, 103rd Infantry Brigade commander, bestowed Sunday the WPM to the three still confined at APMC in Marawi City, namely, 2Lt. Bryan Paul Calilung, Pfc. Aries Rico, and Pvt. Benjack de Guzman.
The WPM is awarded to members and civilians employed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) who are injured or killed in combat with the enemy. (PNA)-rir
