• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Nine soldiers of the 47th Infantry Battalion were honored and conferred with medals by the Armed Forces of the Philippine Visayas Command for their recent successful operations against remnants of the New People’s Army in Barangay Tampalon, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.
Lt. Gen. Fernando Reyeg, VISCOM commander, led the conferment of two Gold Cross Medals, two Silver Cross Medals and four Military Merit Medals to nine 47IB soldiers during his recent visit to Mabinay, Negros Oriental, in recognition of their efforts of giving justice to families of innocent civilians who were killed by NPA remnants, especially that of 74-year-old grandmother Leonora Anguit, who was killed on February in Brgy. Tapi, Kabankalan City.
The death of Anguit was claimed by the Armando Sumayang Jr. Command of the NPA.
The March 21 encounter in Sitio Santol, Brgy. Tampalon, Kabankalan City, led to the death of Milky Sampini, Ritchie Verano, and Joedil Balsimo—all reportedly linked to death of Anguit, among others in southern Negros.
Army soldiers also recovered an R4 assault rifle, two M16 rifles with M203 grenade launchers, a hand grenade and various subversive documents.
During the awarding ceremony, Lt Gen Reyeg commended the 47IB troops for their courage and discipline, emphasizing the importance of passing on lessons learned from the engagement to younger soldiers.
He also stressed the need to for Army soldiers to not allow rebel remnants to recover their lost territories, with the aim at preventing them from regaining a foothold in Negros.
“The CPP-NPA cannot thrive without mass-based support. By cutting off that lifeline, we deny them the chance to regain their foothold and ensure Negros remains secure and free from their influence,” Reyeg said.
He also urged the troops to deepen their engagement with local communities and reach out to the families of the remaining CPP-NPA members. “Let them know that there is still a chance to come home, to live peacefully with their families, and to rebuild their lives. But if they choose to persist in violence, let it be known that we will not hesitate to use the full force of the law, and they will meet the same fate as their fallen comrades,” Reyeg stressed.*
