Pa, Pray For Me: Soon-To-Wed Soldier Called His Father Before He Was Hit In Marawi Clash

A soon-to-wed soldier called his father to pray for him until his last breath in the midst of his battle against the members of Maute terrorist group in Marawi City.

Army Corporal Angelo Estores Jr, 25, father of two kids and a member of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 5th mechanized battalion was killed last May 25, while trying to get the caliber of his dead companion to continue his fight even only three of them left in the group.

On May 25, at about 1:00 pm, Angelo called his Father, Estores Sr., a retired soldier who survived the Jolo encounter against rebels.

Jestoni Almeres, cousin of Estores, told newsline.ph and recounted the last conversation between the father and son.

“Pa, Pray mo sa ako, murag dili na madayon akong kasal, tulo na lang mi nabilin ang siyam patay na,” (Pa, you Pray for me, my wedding might not push through, only three of us left here, nine of my companions are dead).

During the phone call, Estores Sr. advised his son who is already cornered, “Jun, kung na trap ka ayaw ug gawas kung walay reinforcement (Jun, if you are trapped, don’t get out until reinforcement arrives).”

Estores even told his father, “Ginakamang na naku ang 50-caliber pang, RPG ang ginatira sa amoa pang, wala na koy bala, patay na akong opisal, i-Pray ko ninyo (I am crawling towards the 50-caliber, they are firing us with RPG, I don’t have ammunition, my officer is dead, you pray for me).”

While his father was directing his son what to do, Estores Jr. did not answer the phone but heard the volume of fire, he just assumed his son was only wounded.

At 3:00 pm, the father kept calling his son but the phone kept ringing and no one answered, Almeri narrated.

At 6:00 pm, classmates of Estores Jr., sent messages to his father that “Junjun” was hit.

On May 26, the father received a call from the military command center telling them that Estores Jr. is dead.

Last May 23, when the Estores family held a reunion, Almeres said Estores Jr. called up to apologize that he cannot attend because he was en route to Marawi because the city was attacked by Maute terrorists.

Estores was set to exchange “I do’s” to the mother of his two young kids on June 29 in Pikit, North Cotabato.

But the Marawi siege ended his life.

Meanwhile, residents of Pikit consider Estores a hero, for offering his life to defend the people of Marawi.

Estores friends posted on his Faceboook Account:

“Rest in Peace to our kababayan, a Pikiteño, a victim of extremism and terrorism in Marawi. He fought for peace, he fought for us, he fought for the country! He died a Hero! RIP soldier Angelo Estore.”

“Prang kilan lang nag chat ka pa skin pra ma nga musta. Mskit man sa min lhat tangapin n wla kna. Di n syang ang pagging sundalo mo. Saludo kming lhat sau. Estores and Almeres family ma mimiss knamin insan.”

The Military in a report said 14 soldiers, two police officers and 18 civilians have been killed as of Saturday night, May 27.

Source: Newsline