• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
An Aspin tracking dog, known as ‘Itum’ and 14 Army soldiers were recently honored and conferred with medals by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Visayas Command, in connection with the recent series of encounters with New People’s Army remnants in southern Negros.
No less than Lt. Gen. Fernando Reyeg, AFP Visayas Command chief, led the conferment of Military Working Dog Achievement Medal to ‘Itum’ for exemplary performance of duty during the conduct of pursuit operation that led to the discovery of an NPA cadaver, and the recovery of a caliber .45 pistol and other war materials on November 21 in Barangay Gatuslao, Candoni, Negros Occidental.
The deployment of a tracker dog further exemplified the tactical ingenuity of the operating troops, Reyeg said.
Six other rebels died in the encounter, which led to the recovery of eight assault rifles and other war materials.
In his speech during the awarding rites held at 47IB headquarters in Mabinay, Negros Oriental, Reyes said “we not only honor our brave soldiers but also recognize the invaluable contributions of our K9 partners. Itum’s exceptional performance exemplifies the critical role that our K9 partners play in ensuring mission success.”
Fourteen members of the 15th and 47th Infantry Battalions were honored. Four received Gold Cross Medals, four were conferred with Silver Cross Medals, while six got Military Merit Medals.
“In Team VISCOM, it is imperative to recognize and honor every member’s untiring effort and selfless sacrifice to ensure that peace will reign, and the democratic way of life is sustained throughout the Visayas region,” Reyeg, said in a statement.*
