• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Armed Forces of the Philippines Visayas Command awarded medals for gallantry on Tuesday to 49 soldiers assigned in Negros Island, at Camp Major Nelson Gerona in Brgy. Minoyan, Murcia.
VISCOM chief Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo led the conferment of medals to 49 soldiers assigned at the 303rd Infantry Brigade, 94th, 79th and 15th Infantry Battalions, also witnessed by Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303IB commander.
Of the medal recipients, 13 received Gold Cross Medals, 13 Silver Cross Medals, 14 for Military Merit Medals with Bronze Spearhead Device, five also received Gawad sa Kaunlaran Medals, and five for Parangal sa Kapanalig ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas Medals and Ribbons.
In a statement, Lt. Col. J Jay Javines, 3ID Civil Military Operations officer, disclosed that the awards accorded by Lt. Gen. Arevalo, were in recognition of the gallantry of troops during successful combat operations in Negros Island, advancing the Negrenses’ fervent desire for a CPP-NPA-free island.
In the fourth quarter alone, 11 significant engagements were recorded in Western and Central Visayas, including the clash between the 94IB and rebels in Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, on November 8, and the encounter between 15IB and the Southwest Front (SWF) of the Komiteng Rehiyon – Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS) at Sitio Cambaga, Barangay Yao-Yao, Cauayan, on Nov. 7.
In the same period, 3ID also neutralized 13 NPA remnants, of which four died in encounters, while 67 others surrendered to different 3ID infantry units. Twenty high-powered firearms and two low-powered guns were also recovered.
The 303rd and 302nd Infantry Brigades in Negros Island has the most number of successful encounters in Visayas region, according to VISCIOM reports.*
