BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Two Army soldiers, who were injured in recent encounters with New People’s Army rebels in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, have been conferred with Wounded Personnel Medal for gallantry at Camp Lapu-Lapu Station Hospital in Cebu City.
Maj. Gen. Robert Dauz, commanding general of the AFP Visayas Command, yesterday personally pinned the medals to two Army soldiers, who are members of the 79th Infantry Battalion stationed in Brgy. Bato, Sagay City, Negros Occidental.
Two soldiers died, while four others were injured in the gun battle on November 3 in Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla.
The slain and injured Army soldiers were immediately evacuated from the encounter site in Moises Padilla, by two Air Force Black Hawk helicopters, which brought them to a hospital in Cebu City.
The encounter prevented plans of communist rebels to stage attacks and extortion activities in the area, according to Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander.
Dauz reminded soldiers of his marching order of enforcing the rule of law, as he encouraged them to remain motivated and steadfast to their mandate of protecting the Filipino people and the state.*
