HONORING THE WOUNDED. Maj. Gen. Diosdado Carreon (right), commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division and head of Joint Task Force Central (JTFC), pins the wounded personnel medal and hands over a gift and cash assistance to one of the injured infantrymen at the Camp Siongco Station Hospital in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao on Monday (March 9, 2020). The wounded personnel formed part of Army troopers pursuing Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in the mountains of Maguindanao since March 1, 2020. (Photo courtesy of 6ID)
CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – The commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID) lauded the bravery of injured soldiers who have risked their lives in protecting civilian communities while continuously fighting Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao for the past 10 days.
Maj. Gen. Diosdado Carreon, who also heads the military-led Joint Task Force Central (JTFC), visited the hospital here Monday to present the wounded personnel medal to three soldiers.
The soldiers were hurt on March 2 while pursuing BIFF members in the mountains of Ampatuan and Shariff Aguak towns in Maguindanao.
The medals were awarded to Private 1st Class Ervin H. Hebres of the 57th Infantry Battalion (IB) who was injured during an encounter with the BIFF in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan, Maguindanao; and Corporal Leonel B. Caspillo and Private 1st Class Raymark O. Equilla, both of the 40IB, who were wounded from an enemy sniper fire and an anti-personnel mine explosion in the interiors of Datu Hoffer, Maguindanao.
“Caspillo and Equilla were part of the team that was conducting combat clearing operations in Barangay Mother Tuayan, Datu Hoffer town,” Carreon told reporters.
He vowed to relentlessly pursue the BIFF who continues to sow terror among civilian communities in Maguindanao.
Fourteen BIFF fighters and four government troopers have so far been killed in the series of intense fighting in the border of Shariff Aguak, Ampatuan, and Datu Unsay towns since March 1, the military said. (With reports from Noel Punzalan/PNA)
