By Nef Luczon | Philippine News Agency
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Three soldiers of the 55th Infantry Battalion (55IB) have been awarded the Wounded Personnel Medal for their heroism as they secured the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) while conducting an inspection in Buadiposo-Buntong, Lanao del Sur last week.
Brig. Gen. Jose Maria Cuerpo II, 103rd Infantry Brigade commander, bestowed Sunday (Oct. 3) the medals to 2Lt. Bryan Paul Calilung, Pfc. Aries Rico, and Pvt. Benjack de Guzman at the Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC) in Marawi City.
The three were part of the eight-man security team who were wounded from a grenade blast in one of NGCP’s tower facilities in Barangay Tangcal in Buadiposo-Buntong town on Sept. 28. Two NGCP personnel were also wounded.
Reports said Calilung 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.
According to the NGCP, its linemen, along with the military escorts, were conducting an inspection of the Agus 2-Kibawe 138-kiloVolt lines 1 and 2, which tripped out on Sept. 22 and 23, respectively, when the incident occurred.
The NGCP requested security assistance from the Army’s 55th Infantry Battalion (55IB) as its staff members were allegedly threatened and intimidated by some locals who were demanding payment for the maintenance activities in the area.
In an earlier statement, Lt. Col. Franco Raphael Alano, 55IB commanding officer, said five of the victims, including Calilung, Rico, and de Guzman, were immediately airlifted from the explosion site to APMC.
Five other injured soldiers were also commended by their respective units.
Three others, all military personnel, were transferred to the 1st Infantry Division’s Kuta Cesar Sang-an Station Hospital. All suffered shrapnel wounds.
The remaining two of the wounded Army personnel, meanwhile, were already released from the hospital and have returned to duty. (PNA) – bny
