BAGUMBAYAN, Sultan Kudarat – Their love blossomed in the harsh condition of the battlefield. They both declared they wanted to tie the knot since they are ready.
A day before lovers celebrate Valentine’s Day worldwide, two soldiers became “officially” engaged, not in aristocratic restaurant or lovers’ resort, but in the middle of the battlefield.
A unit of the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion was in the middle of manhunt against communist rebels in the mountains of Sitio 2, Barangay Titulok, Bagumbayan when Corporal Denemar Albani, 27, platoon radioman from Zamboanga City, surprised her longtime girlfriend, Private Christine Porcadilla, 26, platoon combat medic from Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat, with a marriage proposal.
Without Porcadilla’s knowledge, Albani connived with all of his colleagues in the platoon about his planned proposal.
While they took a rest after hours of hiking in the mountains, Albani came in front of Porcadilla kneeling on one knee and offered to marry her.
The visibly surprised Army medic could only smile and whisper to boyfriend’s ear of four years her positive reply to Albani’s query as other soldiers held postcards with the words “Will you marry me?”
Hours later, the two showed up at Lt. Colonel Harold Cabunoc’s office and sought their commander’s guidance and approval.
“Oh my! My soldiers asked my consent for them to marry! What shall I say?” Cabunoc posted on his social media account. He quickly followed it with the words for the couple: “O ayan, pinirmahan ko na kasi sabi niyo eh (There you go, I signed it because you want it).”
Cabunoc said he approved the request as both have completed all the requirements the Army has set forth. The two had been engaged since 2014.
Porcadilla was female CAFGU Active Auxiliary personnel when Denemar fell in love with her four years ago. When Porcadilla enlisted in the Army last year, they found themselves fighting side by side against the communist rebels at Sitio Tamil-Tamil, Barangay Laguilayan, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat in September 2017.
“Their love blossomed in the harsh condition of the battlefield. They wanted to tie the knot in the eternal commitment called marriage,” Cabunoc said.
Cabunoc said Porcadilla was one of his “designated marksmen” during their encounter with Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters gunmen in Gen. SK Pendatun, Maguindanao, last year. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
