AMMAN, Jordan — They came from different provinces and served different units of the Philippine Army.
The seven soldiers, who joined the seven-day official visit of President Rodrigo Duterte to the State of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, faced the same enemy from Jolo to Marawi where they fought the war and lost limbs.
They, however, had one wish and prayer — to lead normal lives after losing leg and arm from fighting the Maute terrorists in Marawi last year.
Private First Class Belly Joe Siminig, 29, wished his prayer for good health would be heard when he visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Israel.
Siminig lost his right leg when he was hit by an enemy from the back while crawling into the enemy’s lair in Marawi’s ground zero.
He uses a pair of crutches and during the trip, he received assistance from a fellow soldier, who lost his right arm during the Marawi siege.
A fellow soldier accompanied him to get food at the buffet table. It was heart-warming to see them support each other given that they just met in this journey with the President.
Siminig was thankful to the President for being one of the soldiers chosen to travel with him.
“Sa kadaghan na wounded nga sundalo, napili ko nga giuban dinhi. Dako akong pasalamat gidala ko niya dinhi (Of the many soldiers wounded, I was one of those who were chosen to travel to Israel,” he said, acknowledging that it was his first time to go abroad.
Siminig, who hails from Midsayap, North Cotabato, has been serving the Philippine Army for three years now. Right after completing his military training, he was deployed to Jolo.
“I was pulled out from Jolo in July to Marawi and I lost my leg in October,” he said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
Like Siminig, Corporal Clinton Bilan of Iloilo was also grateful and happy to reach Israel.
“Masaya ako na nakaapak sa Holy Land. Hinihiling ko na, sana, hahaba pa ang buhay ko. At sana magkaroon ng paa (I am happy to set foot at the Holy Land. I wish to have a long life and I wish to have a leg),” Bilan said smiling.
From Jolo, Bilan was deployed to Marawi. On July 22, 2017, a bomb exploded while he was coming out of the house that his troop members raided near the Grand Mosque.
“Nauna kasi akong lumabas. Napasok na namin ang bahay nun. Noon na palabas na kami sumabog yung bomba (I was first to come out. We were already inside the house and as we came out, the bomb exploded),” he said.
Bilan has been with the Army for eight years already.
“Nalipay gyud mi. Wala gyud mi gipabayaan ni Presidente. Iya gihapon mi gitabangan (We are happy and thankful to the President for his continued help),” he said.
Sgt. Christian Ray Nacino lost his right arm after a sniper in Marawi hit his firearm, which exploded on him, on July 27, 2017.
“Sana bigyan pa rin kami ng magandang buhay at kalusugan (I wish we would still be given a good life and good health),” Nacino said, adding that he was surprised to be among those chosen for the trip to Israel.
Siminig, Bilan and Nacino were three of the seven soldiers given a chance to visit the Holy Land and Jordan.
The trip was an offer from the President, which they thought would not turn into a reality.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said getting them on board the Philippine Airlines Flight 001 shows the President’s deep concern for members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
It shows the President takes care of the soldiers, Roque said. (Lilian Mellejor /PNA)