ZAMBOANGA CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte has conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu to 12 soldiers, who were injured in a recent attack that killed seven in a military camp in Sulu province.
At the same time, President Duterte donned the new insignia, a three-star rank, to Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the newly-installed Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, during his visit Wednesday to the Westmincom headquarters here.
Awarded with the Order of Lapu-Lapu were the following: SSgt. Ferdinand Clemente, Sgt. William Andreade, Sgt. Marlon Domingo, Sgt. Ryan Ferrer, Sgt. Richard Tudla, Sgt. Mark Joseph Mamingcol, Sgt. Jykyl Bautista, Cpl. Serto Bagni, Cpl. Rommel Soliman, Pfc. John Angelo Carpio, Pfc. Ralph Sabrosa, and Pfc. Dariel Bolibar.
The President awarded the medals when he visited the soldiers around 7:30 p.m. at the Camp Navarro General Hospital inside Camp Basilio Navarro that houses the Westmincom headquarters in this city.
The awardees were among the 22 people who were wounded when two alleged suicide bombers attacked the Tactical Command Post of the Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team in Indanan, Sulu, on June 28. The other 10 wounded were civilians.
“The courage and will of our soldiers to fight for lasting peace is truly commendable that the President deemed it fit to recognize their heroic deeds,” Sobejana said.
“Their sacrifices will not be put in vain as we exceed all efforts, by sustaining tactical and intelligence operations, to combat terrorism in Mindanao, especially in Sulu,” he added.
Sobejana, a medal of valor awardee, was installed as the new Westmincom chief on June 28.
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