33 soldiers, policemen receive medals for ‘exemplary actions’ in battle vs NPA on Negros Island

Thirty three soldiers and policemen receive medals for “demonstrating exemplary actions” in successful gun battles against New People’s Army (NPA) rebels based on Negros Island in awarding ceremony held at the 62nd Infantry Battalion headquarters in Barangay Libas, Isabela, Negros Occidental on Oct. 14, 2019. | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/ 303rd IB

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental — A total of  33 soldiers and policemen received medals for “demonstrating exemplary actions” against successful gun battles with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the area of operations of the 62nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army on Negros Island.

Brigadier General Benedict Arevalo, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, pinned  the Military Commendation Medals (MCM) to the 16 soldiers and 17 policemen during the awarding rites this morning, Monday, October 14, 2019 held at the 62nd IB headquarters in Barangay Libas, Isabela, Negros Occidental.

The awarding of medals was witnessed by Lt. Col. Egberto Dacoscos, 62nd IB commanding officer, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Leo Batiles, battalion commander of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion om Western Visayas( RMFB-6), who assisted Arevalo during the pinning of the medals.

To recall, an encounter occurred last October 6, 2019 between troops of the 31st Division Reconnaissance Company ( 31st DRC) and more or less 15 rebels at Sitio Bugo, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental which resulted in the death of two suspected NPA rebels and recovery of assorted firearms, ammunitions and other war materials.

Three days later, on October 9, another encounter transpired between the joint AFP-PNP operation of the 62nd IB and the RMFB-6 and more or less 10 rebels at Sitio Basak , Barangay Tan-awan, Kabankalan City    still in Negros Occidental. The firefight resulted in the death of a suspected red fighter and the recovery of firearms, ammunitions and other war materials and personal belongings. One policeman was wounded on the encounter.

In a press statement, Arevalo said “the only way to win in this campaign is (through) offense.”

“We will not win the campaign against the insurgents, we will not win against NPAs if we are on defensive mode. So, the only way to win is go on offensive mode,”  he added.

 According to Arevalo, he was happy to be awarding the troops for their “offensive spirit”  displayed during the encounters for the past weeks.

This morning’s awarding of medals was the 5th and a total of 285 medals were already given to infantry battalions and police units under the supervision of the 303rd Infantry Brigade for successful encounters against the NPA in Negros Occidental since Arevalo assumed command on October 29 last year./elb