President Duterte gives posthumous award to slain soldier
BUTUAN CITY – Immediately after his visit from Surigao City on Sunday for the relief goods distribution and to give a message of encouragement to the victims of the recent 6.7 magnitude earthquake that hit the city, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte flew all the way to Beata Virgine Del Santo Rosario Chapel, Division Advance Command Post (DACP), Bancasi in this city to personally give a posthumous Military Merit Medal for gallantry in action and condole with the family of late Sgt. Marloun Balais.
It can be recalled that on February 11, some 15 armed New People’s Army (NPA) belonging to Sanga sa Platun Pampropaganda (SPP) 16-A, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMC) attacked a community in Sitio Sarog, Barangay San Isidro, Santiago town, Agusan del Norte which cause the instantaneous death of Sgt Balais, two civilians and seriously wounding three other civilians.
In his statement, Lt. Col Glenn Joy Aynera, the commanding officer of 29th Infantry (MATATAG) Battalion based in Agusan del Norte condemned the NPA attack, which took the lives of two innocent civilians and wounding three others.
Lt. Col. Aynera also said that they were deeply saddened for the lost of their comrade. However, it will not stop them from doing their mandate which is to ensure the safety and security of the people of Agusan del Norte. (1Lt Karl Jan Devaras, 4CMO Battalion, Phil. Army/PIA-Caraga)
